New England Patriots core special teamer Brenden Schooler routinely displayed his value on kickoffs last season.
And Schooler could get even more of an opportunity to showcase his unique skillset this season.
The NFL made major changes to its kickoff rules last season in an effort to revitalize the play that had been largely taken out of games. The league did see more returns, with it up to a 32.8% rate compared to 21.8% in 2023, according to MassLive’s Chris Mason.
The NFL made another tweak this offseason to incentivize even more kick returns, though. Touchbacks will put the ball on the 35-yard line instead of the 30, like last season.