FOXBOROUGH - If you were hoping for Gabe Jacas’ side of the story on the fiasco that kept him off the field and away from the facility until the start of training camp, sorry to disappoint. The rookie stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Patriots’ PR maven Stacey James for several minutes before it was his turn to step up to the microphone, and when he did, there weren’t many answers.
“I mean, it doesn't matter,” Jacas said when asked the first of several questions about why it took so long to get a deal done. “All that stuff is behind me, and you know, whatever happened in the past is the past, and just trying to look forward and focus on the future.”
There’s no doubt that the coaching staff is treating Jacas that way. They have a need on the edge and drafted the University of Illinois product to fill it. But he comes carrying more baggage than most rookies, and despite both wanting that baggage to end up as a mere footnote in a long and productive career in New England, Jacas’ contract makes this a story that isn’t over yet.
The Pats and Jacas’ representatives sparred over contract language about a left knee injury that was not discovered at the scouting combine or at the medical recheck (Jacas had a hamstring that kept him from doing much in Indianapolis). That’s because it may have happened after the fact, or was withheld by Jacas. Thus, when rookie minicamp came around in early May, not only did Jacas not have a signed deal, he wasn’t cleared to participate. Come to find out, he had surgery on that knee (described as a “clean-up”) and, when he finally signed his contract, had to agree to a rare injury waiver that doesn’t void until after his third year.
“Yeah, I'm fine,” Jacas said when I asked about the knee and the waiver. “Again, like I said, all that stuff is behind me, and I'm 100 percent. Whenever they tell me I'm good to go, I just go.”
He did seem to admit that the knee will require maintenance before shutting down the question with an “I’m out here now.” That can’t be quibbled with. The team has ramped up Jacas’ activity in his return-to-play, and he got about a half-dozen reps running with the second-team defense during 11-on-11s and also worked as the right guard on the punt team. During Monday’s practice, there was one period where Mike Vrabel and his right-hand man, John Streicher, were working with Jacas on that very thing.
“We’ve got to make up for lost time, I think, a little bit with Gabe,” Vrabel said before Tuesday’s session. “I'd say he’s working hard. I think he’s into it. He’s trying to learn; he’s focused. A lot of these things are new for him, and I think he has done a good job of controlling what he can control. I see him in there meeting with Smitty [outside LB coach Mike Smith] a lot…
“These situations he has to just understand, and it’s good to see him get acclimated to the special team stuff. So, I think it’s going well. I think we’re off to a good start, and hopefully he can continue to keep adding things and figure out where he can help us defensively and really, special teams.”
Jacas didn’t have any standout moments during on-the-field work Tuesday, and in fact, got sucked inside on a reverse before trying to chase down the play. But you can see that when he’s attacking, there’s plenty of power in that body.
“First and foremost, very physical and very violent, explosive,” Jacas said when asked about his strengths. “I can set edges and play in the pass game as well.”
The aforementioned Smith felt that physicality during Jacas’ first day on the practice field. They were doing a one-on-one drill, and the 44-year-old coach ended up on his back. On Monday, Smith got his revenge, tackling his young protege onto a mat and then playfully holding him down.
“That wasn’t my intention, but when you’re just getting off the ball, violence, stuff like that just happens,” Jacas said on knocking down his position coach. He was smiling when he retold the story.
Teammate Dre’Mont Jones also laughed, insisting that’s part of the game.
“Nah, man, (eff) that,” he said when asked if rule #1 should be ‘Don’t knock over your position coach.' “Get ready for the game. Get ready for practice, man. You gotta do what you gotta do. I would have done it too if I needed to.”
Like Jacas, Jones was smiling and laughing. And like the coaches, the veteran edge knows they need to get the rookie up to speed.
“First impression is that he's eager, and he plays with that eagerness and that energy,” Jones noted. “And right now, we're just trying to, as a collective group, as a team, and as the staff does, we're all just trying to hone in his game to make him the most complete player.”
Jacas certainly looks the part in pads. And his collegiate resume suggests, at the very least, he should be a sound run defender. But after surrendering three picks to move up and take him, the Pats need more than that. They need an impact player, and we’re a long way away from knowing whether Jacas - or his knee - are up to it.