The New England Patriots are kicking off training camp without their 55th overall pick, Gabe Jacas, who remains one of only three players from this year’s NFL Draft still without a signed rookie deal. Even wilder, Jacas is the *only* non-quarterback out of those 257 drafted players who hasn’t put pen to paper. So, yeah, he wasn’t there when camp started this week, and that’s a problem for New England.
Contract Talks Are Positive. So Why Isn’t He There?
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel addressed the situation during a press conference on Friday, sounding cautiously optimistic. He says conversations between the club and Jacas’ representatives have been “positive” and they’re “continuing to work through the contract.” Vrabel even spoke to Jacas personally, expressing excitement to “get him in when he’s under contract.” But let’s be real, “sooner rather than later” isn’t a timeline, and not having your second-round pick in camp is never ideal. Vrabel pointed to the “nature of the contract” as a potential hold-up, explaining, “Every contract is unique. Every contract is different. But it will get resolved, I’m positive that it will.” We can only hope.
The Illinois Star’s Rocky Road to New England
The Patriots made a short trade-up to snag Jacas as the 55th overall pick. He’s coming off a solid four-year career at Illinois where he racked up 11 sacks and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in his final season. That’s some serious talent waiting to hit the field! However, his pre-draft process wasn’t entirely smooth, with a hamstring issue and a clean-up procedure on his left knee impacting things. Vrabel wouldn’t get into the injury specifics, only mentioning that Jacas “had a surgery to take care of some things,” but you gotta wonder if those medical flags are playing a role in this stalled contract. Good thing Jim Whalen and Frank Piraino have been in contact with him all summer, keeping tabs on his recovery.
The clock is ticking, with the Patriots’ first training camp practice set for Saturday at 10 a.m. ET. They traded up for Jacas for a reason, and they need that guy in the building, learning the system, and getting ready to contribute. Let’s hope those positive talks lead to a signed contract ASAP.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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