Why a Second-Round Pick Hasn’t Signed, Shown Up, or Spoken Since May

The New England Patriots have a problem, and it involves a second-round draft pick who hasn’t been inside the building for over a month. Gabe Jacas, the team’s highly-touted rookie, missed mandatory minicamp entirely. He hasn’t signed his contract. And according to a source familiar with the situation, he wasn’t given a standard “participation agreement” back in May — which is why he never reported.

This is not a typical rookie holdout over money. The situation is far more tangled, involving multiple medical red flags and a surgical procedure that may have blindsided the Patriots’ front office.

The Medical Mystery

Jacas dealt with a hamstring injury at the NFL Combine that kept him out of drills. He was healthy enough to participate at his pro day, but since then, a series of concerning findings have emerged. ESPN’s Mike Reiss gathered information from multiple league sources who reviewed Jacas’ medicals.

Two different NFL teams gave Jacas a passing grade on his physical, but both flagged a labral tear in his shoulder that could eventually need surgery. One team also noted a stress fracture in his foot that might worsen over time. Those aren’t deal-breakers individually, but together they raise questions about long-term durability.

Then there’s the knee. A source familiar with Jacas’ recovery told ESPN that he underwent what was described as a “clean-up” procedure. It’s unclear whether this happened after his combine physical or during a pre-draft visit with the Patriots around April 20. What is known: the team wasn’t told about it before drafting him.

Contract Complications

Because of all this, insiders believe the Patriots are pushing for added financial protection in Jacas’ rookie deal — essentially language that would limit the team’s risk if those shoulder, foot, or knee issues become problems down the line. The team has not confirmed this, but the delay in signing a standard second-round contract is extremely unusual.

The Patriots reportedly have big plans for Jacas as a pass-rushing piece. But none of that matters if he isn’t in Foxborough. With training camp approaching, both sides are running out of time to sort out what has become one of the more bizarre off-field sagas of the offseason.