Patriots coach Mike Vrabel declined to provide full details about second-round pick Gabe Jacas’ absence from last week’s mandatory minicamp, saying the linebacker had undergone a procedure, has not signed his rookie contract and was not with the team, according to ESPN.
Jacas reported to the Patriots’ facility for rookie minicamp on May 7 and was observed on the sideline in his blue No. 50 jersey during the May 9 session. At that time he and first-round pick Caleb Lomu were the team’s lone unsigned draft selections; unlike Lomu, Jacas did not practice, which indicated he was not medically cleared, according to ESPN.
Jacas had a hamstring issue during the predraft process that kept him out of the NFL combine and Illinois’ pro day, but he worked out at a personal pro day on April 2, posting a 4.69 40-yard dash and a 1.59 10-yard split. Two NFL teams that reviewed his medicals gave him a passing grade while noting a labral shoulder tear and, in one case, a stress fracture in his foot. A source familiar with Jacas’ recovery told ESPN he underwent a knee “clean-up” procedure; it is unclear when the issue requiring the procedure arose.
The Patriots have not signed Jacas, and a source said he has not been with the team since May. One high-ranking NFL executive suggested the club may be seeking contractual protections tied to the medical procedure, which could explain the delay in signing; a standard participation agreement, typically given to draft picks, would obligate a team to sign a player at his slot if he is injured before a rookie contract is completed, according to ESPN. Team officials said the procedure should not threaten availability for the 2026 season and there is hope he will be ready by training camp, though lost spring classroom time could affect his development.
New England traded up to select Jacas at No. 55 with plans for him to be a key piece at a position in transition. Eight-year veteran Dre’Mont Jones and nine-year veteran Harold Landry III, who is recovering from offseason knee surgery, project as starters, with Jacas and second-year players Elijah Ponder and Bradyn Swinson next on the depth chart, followed by veteran Jesse Luketa. Outside linebackers coach Mike Smith said, “As long as he’s a Patriot, he’ll always have a plan for [this] year. Will he be a little bit behind? Yeah. Who wouldn’t?”
