Patriots’ second-round edge Gabe Jacas remains unsigned, misses mandatory minicamp

The New England Patriots entered their mandatory minicamp this week with one conspicuous absence. Second-round draft pick Gabe Jacas is not signed and is not participating in team activities, according to head coach Mike Vrabel’s remarks Tuesday.

Vrabel told reporters that Jacas is not with the team during minicamp. The coach did not offer a detailed explanation for why the edge rusher is missing the mandatory session, but he did reference that the player underwent a medical procedure of some kind this offseason.

In the NFL, unsigned rookies sometimes still find ways to be present for parts of the offseason program, but the league’s standard mechanics matter. With Jacas still not under contract, he is not taking part in the Patriots’ current required work, while other rookies who have signed are generally able to participate in offseason sessions.

Jacas’ profile helps explain why New England would focus on getting him into the building. The Patriots selected him in the second round of the 2026 draft after a standout college career at Illinois, where he recorded 11 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss in his final season, numbers that report a disruptive edge presence built for pressure and run stopping.

The fact that Vrabel cited a medical procedure, rather than something like a team decision or disciplinary matter, frames the situation as a health and readiness issue at least in the immediate term. However, without additional detail, it is not possible to determine how it affects his timeline, conditioning, or ability to take part in next steps of the offseason program.

For the Patriots, the timing is the main concern. Mandatory minicamp is one of the few stretches when a club has leverage to install structure quickly, and it also provides a clearer view of how new players process the playbook and respond to live practice demands. An absence of a player with Jacas’ draft status can shift reps and slow the evaluation process, even if his long-term recovery is expected.

What to watch next is whether Jacas signs his rookie contract and, once he does, how soon the team moves him into practice. The order of operations matters here: New England will want to balance getting him medically cleared with ensuring he can handle the workload that comes with returning to on-field work after a procedure.