As the NFL’s 53-man roster deadline closes in, so does the plan for one New England Patriots captain.
Brenden Schooler will begin 2026 on the non-football injury list, according to a Sunday report from the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed.
The defensive back and special teams ace had been placed on the non-football injury list as players reported for training camp in July. He missed the duration of the preseason and will now miss at least the first four games of the regular season after being flexed from
active to reserve.
Schooler, 29, landed in Foxborough as an undrafted free agent in 2022. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound former transfer from Oregon to Texas earned PFWA All-Rookie honors in the kicking game and has since added Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro selections to his resume.
After reaching a three-year contract extension in 2024, Schooler was named a team captain for the first time entering last campaign under special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer. Through 66 career games in the regular season, the core safety has handled 1,433 snaps on special teams to go with 93 snaps on defense in a situational role. His stay includes 59 combined tackles, two sacks, four fumble recoveries as well as a blocked field goal and punt.
Veteran outside linebacker Harold Landry III, who has resided on the physically unable to perform list since camp opened, looms as another call.
The Patriots trimmed from 91 to 73 players on the eve of the cutdown deadline. By 6 p.m. ET Sunday, active rosters around the league will be down to 53.
