FOXBORO — Patriots special teams legend Matthew Slater is back on staff after announcing his retirement this offseason, but it sounds like he hasn’t advanced into a coaching role yet.

Head coach Jerod Mayo recently described Slater as having an advisory role for the team. Special-teams ace Brenden Schooler, a 2023 NFLPA All-Pro, explained what Slater hasn’t been doing on the practice field so far.

“I think he’s more of just kind of in a spectator role right now,” Schooler said. “He’s not running any drills or doing anything like that. We have great special teams coaches with us right now, so just leaning on those guys and taking every little coaching point that they have because things are going to be a little bit different from last year. Just trying to be as coachable as I can right now and help this team win.”

The Patriots moved on from last season’s special teams coaches, Joe Judge, Cam Achord and Joe Houston, after parting ways with Bill Belichick and replacing him as head coach with Jerod Mayo. Mayo hired Jeremy Springer as his special teams coordinator, veteran coach Tom Quinn as a special teams assistant and Coby Tippett, son of Patriots leged Andre Tippett, as a special teams assistant/quality control coach.

Schooler was asked about what he’s seen from Springer and Quinn early in the offseason workout program.

“I love both of them,” Schooler gushed. “They have a little bit of a different coaching style just as every coach does. I’ve known Coach Springer since 2019 when I had my little short stint at (the University of) Arizona. He was the special teams coordinator there. He was there with my brother (Colin) at Arizona, so we kind of go back. It’s nice to have a familiar face in the building. Coach Quinn, he has a bunch of years of coaching really good players at this level. So having both of those guys I think is going to be super beneficial to us.”

Springer most recently worked as a special teams assistant with the Rams from 2022 to 2023. The 35-year-old began his coaching career at the college level. Quinn, 56, has been coaching in the NFL since 2006.

“(Springer has) got high energy whatever day it is. He comes in the building every day and it’s gonna be the same thing and that’s all you can ask for as a player to have in a coach is to be consistent, have high energy, coach us as hard as you can,” Schooler said. “But he’s awesome. I think it’s great energy for the building.”

Slater wasn’t the only Patriots special-teamer to retire this offseason. Safety Cody Davis also hung up his cleats, and the Patriots released linebacker Chris Board, another special-teams standout.

That leaves Schooler as one of the few core special-teamers on the roster.

“Being one of those guys that has a lot of game experience, especially when you’re talking about special teams and that core group, I think, trying to take more of a leadership role,” Schooler said about his goals this season. “When you have — Matt was the guy for the past few seasons when I was here. So just taking that leadership role on and hold those guys to a certain standard and any little bit of information I have, like a tip or anything. I’m trying to help these young guys, bring along with us because the faster they get acclimated to the game, and the more they know then it’s better for the whole team in general. So it’s been it’s been fun kind of taking on that new role.”