Jabrill Peppers explains Matthew Slater’s new role with the Patriots

On Tuesday, Peppers was asked about Slater’s current role within the organization.

“It says advisor — whatever that means,” Peppers said of Slater’s current position. “As long as I can get some knowledge about him and see him in the locker room, with Slate in the locker room, he lifted my spirits and always knew what to say. So I’m really happy that we kept it in the building.

It remains to be seen whether Slater’s new role with the Patriots in his post-playing career is a full-time job or more of a volunteer position. But Peppers wasn’t surprised to see him back at Gillette Stadium just a few months after hanging up his cleats for good.

“I didn’t think he was finished anyway,” Peppers said. “So I think it’s his way of staying engaged while taking the strain off his body, spending more time with his family, but also still being a part of the organization and doing what he loves to do.”

If Slater joins the New England team in a regular role, it would be Jerod Mayo’s latest hire that involved bringing an ex-Patriot back into the fold.

Earlier this offseason, the Patriots hired former linebacker Dont’a Hightower as the team’s new linebackers coach, while Tiquan Underwood was brought in as an assistant wide receivers coach.