Gabe Jacas still unsigned, raising questions as to his readiness, and other pre-camp Patriots observations
With training camp set to begin in a week and a half, let’s catch up on the Patriots . . .
1. Second-round pick Gabe Jacas remains unsigned after spending the majority of the spring away from the Patriots. Jacas was in the building for rookie minicamp but was not present for organized team activities and has yet to participate in a practice.
So, what’s next?
Rookies are scheduled to report to Gillette Stadium on July 22, two days before their first practice on July 24. If Jacas remains unsigned, and unable to practice, then he will continue to fall behind in his development. His readiness for the season already is in question, given his extended absence and the knee procedure he underwent this offseason.
At the beginning of the spring, it seemed plausible that Jacas was holding out in order to maximize the amount of guaranteed money in his contract. Last year, Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins became the first second-round pick in NFL history to receive a fully guaranteed contract, prompting second-round picks across the league to not participate in voluntary practices until they finalized their deals.
The latest pick of last year’s draft to receive a fully guaranteed contract was the 40th pick, Saints quarterback Tyler Shough. The latest in this year’s was No. 48, Falcons cornerback Avieon Terrell.
Because Jacas was taken 55th, and every other second-round pick has signed, it’s clear his situation is more complicated. It turns out, as ESPN first reported, Jacas does not have a participation agreement, which financially protects unsigned rookies against injuries.
For example, first-round pick Caleb Lomu signed a participation agreement and participated in multiple OTA practices before officially signing his contract on June 8. If Lomu had suffered a football injury prior to signing that deal, then the Patriots would have still be obligated to sign him to a contract commensurate with his draft position. The team did not offer Jacas such an agreement.
In June, coach Mike Vrabel acknowledged Jacas underwent a procedure. But he would not elaborate on the details, including whether the Patriots were aware that Jacas would need a procedure when they traded up to draft him.
“We are excited about Gabe, the person that he is, the play style, his production in college and all that,” Vrabel said. “When that gets resolved, we will have him in here and we will coach him, and I am sure we will find a way for him to help our football team.”
The hope was that Jacas would be able to contribute, at minimum, on third downs as a pass-rush specialist and potentially step up into a starting role by the end of the year. Edge rusher remains a glaring need.
The rest of the depth chart features Harold Landry, Dre’Mont Jones, Elijah Ponder, Bradyn Swinson, and Jesse Luketa. The 30-year-old Landry, who battled a knee injury last year, did not practice during the spring. Ponder, who is coming off a promising rookie season, could be in for an elevated role this year.
2. The other contract situation to watch is cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who is eligible for an extension. Gonzalez reported to mandatory minicamp in June, but limited his participation in practice. If the Patriots and Gonzalez can’t come to terms on a new deal by the start of training camp, it will be worth watching whether he holds out or holds in (i.e., shows up but doesn’t participate). Cornerback Devon Witherspoon, a fellow 2023 first-round pick who shares an agent with Gonzalez, has not signed his extension, either.
3. It’s also worth monitoring how wide receiver Kayshon Boutte approaches camp.
Boutte said the right things during minicamp, that he will make the best of his opportunities and that he will play on his existing contract if necessary. But targets will be harder to come by in an offense with A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. It’s unsurprising if Boutte, who is entering the last season of his rookie contract, would prefer to play elsewhere.
The Patriots, though, should not be eager to trade him unless they receive an offer they can’t refuse. Kyle Williams is expected to take a leap in Year 2, but has yet to prove he’s a reliable target. Mack Hollins showed his value last year, but may have to line up more as a blocker because of New England’s minimal depth at tight end. DeMario Douglas and Efton Chism III will likely be battling for the final roster spot, if Boutte stays.
4. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald made headlines last week, when he said on the “Dan Patrick Show” that he reached out to an unnamed person who had “some conflict of interest” for advice ahead of Super Bowl LX. According to Macdonald, the person “really helped” them out.
When Patrick guessed former Patriots coach Bill Belichick, Macdonald responded, “I’m not that cool.” The internet then theorized it was former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who is also a minority owner with the Raiders.
Patrick clarified Monday that the person was not Brady.
Who might it have been? Maybe it was one of Brady’s Fox colleagues and former teammates Rob Gronkowski or Julian Edelman, though it’s unclear why either would be motivated to help Macdonald. Perhaps it was former Patriots coach Jerod Mayo, who spent a season with Drake Maye and should also have familiarity with Josh McDaniels’s system.
5. The release of the NFL’s Top 100, as voted on by the players, remains ongoing. The first Patriot made an appearance, with Brown coming in at No. 80. He is the fourth receiver to be revealed so far, ahead of Tet McMillan (No. 87) and behind Zay Flowers (No. 71) and Courtland Sutton (No. 68). Gonzalez and Maye will likely pop up later this summer.
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