Mike Vrabel does not expect second-round draft pick Gabe Jacas to miss his entire rookie season, but he might, the New England Patriots head coach told reporters Monday morning.
After a lengthy contract holdout, Jacas was consigned to the non-football injury list Sunday with a repaired left knee, zero practice reps and a training camp that started without him.
Asked whether Jacas would now miss the 2026 season after already missing all offseason activities, Vrabel commented, “I don’t want to say. Nothing is 100 percent,” according to NBC Sports‘ Michael David Smith.
But Vrabel then turned optimist, adding, “I don’t anticipate that whatsoever. I don’t. I am excited where he is at,” according to the NBC report. “I am excited that he wants to be here, he wants to get going, and he does not want to be on the field with the trainer, I will tell you that. He wants to get back out there, play ball and be the player that we drafted and wanted to be here.”
Vrabel would not discuss the Jacas contract, which reportedly shields New England financially if the knee keeps the former Fighting Illini linebacker out of action. Medical staff will evaluate the rookie over the next few days and try to speed up his recovery, Vrabel noted.
New England Patriots Await Gabe Jacas Practice Clearance
Jacas signed Saturday, the opening day of camp, closing a standoff that had made him the last unsigned second-round pick in football. The deal runs four years and can reach roughly $8.6 million.
Then came the paperwork that undercut it. New England placed him on the NFI list a day later, a designation that bars him from practicing, according to a Boston.com report. The team can activate him at any time.
Jacas had a cleanup procedure on his left knee after the draft, and the Patriots reportedly never supplied the participation agreement that would have obligated them to pay him had he been hurt while unsigned. Other clubs flagged a hamstring problem, a shoulder labrum tear and a foot stress fracture before April. He missed OTAs, minicamp and the first two days of camp.
Gabe Jacas Gives Patriots Pass-Rush Depth
The Patriots sent the No. 63, 131 and 202 picks to the Los Angeles Chargers for No. 55, their second trade up of the draft, according to NBC Sports reporter Josh Alper.
They clearly coveted Jacas, who piled up 27 sacks over four seasons at Illinois, second-most in school history behind Simeon Rice, along with 183 tackles, 35 1/2 tackles for loss and 7 forced fumbles across 50 games.
In his senior year Jacas recorded an impressive 11 sacks, 13 1/2 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, first-team All-Big Ten honors from the media and a captaincy, according to the Fighting Illini athletics department. He was a Freshman All-American in 2022 and a three-time All-Big Ten pick overall.
The style came off wrestling mats in Fort Pierce, Florida, where Jacas won state titles. At 6-foot-4 and roughly 260 pounds, he made his living on hand fighting and leverage, and he played 50 consecutive games before opting out of the Music City Bowl, according to an Illini Guys season-ending report.
A lost season would hurt the Patriots an already vulnerable point. Harold Landry, the team’s sack leader a year ago, opened camp on the physically unable to perform list. Dre’Mont Jones arrived in free agency to replace K’Lavon Chaisson. Behind them sit Elijah Ponder and a group of unproven bodies, according to a Pats Pulpit edge defender preview.
Jacas was drafted to rotate into that mix and generate pressure. But according to Vrabel, whether the team gets that contribution from Jacas this season remains up in the air.
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