The New England Patriots finally signed Gabe Jacas to his rookie deal on Jul. 26 after selecting him in the second round of this year's draft, and it looks like the good news is continuing to roll (or is at least close to doing so).
According to head coach Mike Vrabel, the Illinois alum is continuing to make progress from his knee procedure this offseason and is inching closer to participating in practice/training camp.
“Gabe continues to progress well,” Vrabel said. “I would say that he’s closer to the return-to-play element that we talk about a lot. (He’s) transitioning to (director of sports performance) Frank (Piraino) and his crew and getting closer. So, excited about that.”
Gabe Jacas can be a needle-mover for the Patriots
There's a lot to like about Jacas and what he can bring to New England. He's a fantastic pass-rusher with a high motor and physicality, which are some of the most crucial traits in Vrabel's system, especially if the Patriots make it right back to the playoffs next season.
In his final season at Illinois last year, Jacas recorded 13.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. Both of these numbers were collegiate career highs for him. He is also skilled at causing turnovers, forcing three fumbles in each of his last two seasons.
How much of that will actually translate to the NFL remains to be seen, but it's clear that the 22-year-old has talent and could be a fantastic fit in New England. And that's especially true given how important it was for the team to address their pass rush during the offseason (they were tied for seventh-fewest sacks last season with 35, and their 34 hurries were tied for the third-fewest).
Gabe Jacas can help the Patriots' defensive identity
There's been a lot of talk about New England's revamped offense, and it's easy to see why. Drake Maye just finished as the runner-up for the MVP award, and then the Patriots went out and acquired A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs to give him some new targets to throw to.
But the defensive side of the ball is Vrabel's bread and butter, and for the Patriots to make it right back to the Super Bowl, it's crucial that the unit is on its A-game.
Having Jacas on the field eventually will help with that as he provides a lot of what Vrabel and the team should be looking for. And as it stands, it looks like his return to action could happen sooner rather than later.
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