The New England Patriots are chipping away at rust with training camp underway. Several players, like Gabe Jacas, have been sidelined. The Patriots added an injury clause to Jacas' deal as he rehabs from a knee injury, but head coach Mike Vrabel expressed that the rookie is making strides.
When speaking to reporters on Thursday, Vrabel said that Jacas is progressing well as he looks to return to the field. Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal then reported that Jacas is closer to his return than Harold Landry is, per Vrabel.
That is the kind of report fans want to see about their second-round pick and indicates he is nearing a return to the gridiron.
Mike Vrabel's latest Gabe Jacas update offers Patriots real optimism
Jacas underwent a clean-up procedure on his knee, which caught the team by surprise, as they didn't know exactly when the injury happened. That forced him to miss all of the offseason workouts, and that's never ideal for a rookie.
Those reps in practice are massive. It allows him to start getting used to playing at the NFL level, and since he's progressing towards stepping on the field, the team will soon get their first look at him in a Patriots jersey.
New England knew they wanted more juice off the edge after being tied for 28th in team sacks (35) last season. And Jacas is someone who can help in that department. During his time in college at Illinois, he displayed powerful hands and a high-end motor that his coaches will love.
He was also a four-year starter, so he has plenty of experience that can come in handy. In 50 collegiate games, Jacas finished with 183 total tackles, 35.5 TFLs, and 27 sacks. Last season, he finished with 11 sacks, while no other defender finished with more than two sacks.
That shows that despite no one else providing consistent pressure, Jacas was able to get into the backfield.
New England hopes that he can bring some of that juice in 2026, but getting on the field is the first step to doing so. Especially since it looks like Landry is a way away from getting back on the field. He's still rehabbing back from a knee injury that bothered him last year and forced offseason surgery. Being available is any player's best quality, so it's great to see Jacas take steps in that area.
There are still five-plus weeks until the season starts, so there's time to get on the field and gear up for the 2026 campaign. Jacas could use as many reps as he can get, and Vrabel's comments show that he's headed in the right direction.
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