Second-round edge rusher Gabe Jacas is the only Patriots draft pick who hasn’t signed their rookie pact. The Illinois product has also yet to attend practices, including today’s opening of mandatory minicamp. When asked about the status of the rookie, coach Mike Vrabel acknowledged that Jacas is recovering from a recent procedure.
“I don’t attribute it to anything other than he’s not here and he’s not under contract at this current time,” Vrabel told reporters about the player’s absence (via Nicole Yang of the Boston Globe). “I don’t want to say there’s a reason for it, other than that’s what it is right now.”
Vrabel was quick to clarify that he’s excited about what the rookie could bring to his squad. The coach added that the Patriots have been in communication with the pass-rusher and aren’t frustrated “one bit” by his absence.
“We’re excited about Gabe, the person that he is, the play style, the production in college, all that,” Vrabel said. “When that gets resolved, we’ll have him in here and we’ll coach him. I’m sure we’ll find a way for him to help our football team.”
While it’s uncertain what specifically led to the player’s surgery, Yang notes that Jacas was dealing with a hamstring injury that forced him to skip the scouting combine and Illinois Pro Day. He later held a private workout for NFL teams, where he earned his marks from scouts.
Beyond the injury, we’ve also seen a recent trend of second-round picks pushing for full guarantees on their rookie pacts. It’s uncertain if that’s currently a factor in Jacas’ no-show, and there’s a chance he may show his face once his representation agrees to terms with the franchise.
Jacas is coming off a successful four-year stint at Illinois, but he established himself as an early-round pick with his production over the past two years. The edge rusher tallied 19 sacks and 26.5 tackles for loss between the 2024 and 2025 campaigns, leading to the Patriots using the 55th-overall pick on him.
The Patriots could certainly use a player of Jacas’ caliber, especially after they let K’Lavon Chaisson walk in free agency. The team signed Dre’Mont Jones to soak up some of those leftover snaps, but Jacas would be next in line for reps, assuming he’s able to catch up for the lost time.
A little concerning honestly
Intriguing because this was one of the biggest steals of the draft and until now it wasn’t evident why he may have slid