The Patriots didn’t just draft Gabe Jacas because he looked the part. They moved up to get him because they clearly believe the second-round edge rusher can matter sooner rather than later.
That belief got a loud public stamp of approval Tuesday from outside linebackers coach Mike Smith, who didn’t exactly reach for subtlety when talking about the rookie. Smith has spent years working with pass rushers such as Danielle Hunter, Za'Darius Smith, Dee Ford, and Preston Smith, so he knows what a real edge threat looks like.
“I'm not a gambler, but I kind of look at maybe anything in life as gambling. You got a kid that's big like him, that's athletic like him, that's meaner than a wet mule, and he loves football. I'm not gonna say he's gonna be Jason Taylor or LT or any of that stuff, but it's gonna be very hard for him to fail," Smith said, per Doug Kyed.
That’s a pretty strong endorsement for a player who has yet to fully put his stamp on camp. Jacas, the former Illinois standout, missed essentially all of the offseason program, and that put him behind from the start. Even so, the Patriots still see a 6-foot-4, 261-pound outside linebacker with the kind of frame, motor and edge-setting ability teams chase.
The comparison to a “wet mule” fits the way Jacas has been described before: tough, physical and relentless. It also fits the kind of temperament Mike Vrabel has always valued. Vrabel built his own reputation as one of the hardest-nosed players to ever wear a Patriots uniform, so it’s not hard to see why this rookie would catch the staff’s eye.
There is still a real football problem attached to all of this, though. Promise is nice.
Production is better. And right now, the Patriots need pass-rush help.
Harold Landry is still working back from offseason knee surgery, and Dre'Mont Jones is the only proven pass rusher on the roster. That shortage makes Jacas more than a long-term bet; it gives him a legitimate path to immediate snaps.
That urgency is what separates him from first-round pick Caleb Lomu. The Patriots have no reason to rush Lomu into Week 1 with Will Campbell locked in at left tackle and Morgan Moses holding down the right side. Lomu’s uneven training camp and preseason have only strengthened the idea that he’s a developmental piece, the kind of player the team can afford to bring along with 2027 in mind.
Jacas is in a different lane. The Patriots traded up for him, and that kind of move says plenty about how they view his place in the plan. The problem is that his missed offseason work means he may have to learn fast, and there’s no clean way around rookie mistakes at a position that demands instant timing and discipline.
So yes, the Patriots are going to live with some missed fits and blown assignments if Jacas is on the field early. Rookie growing pains come with the territory. But with the season opener in Seattle approaching, keeping him on the sideline may not be much of an option.
Unless Landry makes a miraculous recovery over the coming weeks, the answer is no.
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Patriots Starter Suddenly Has Real Reason To Fear For His Job
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Haack is expected to handle punting duties in the upcoming preseason game, and what happens next will hinge on how quickly Baringer gets back. If the veteran settles in well, the Patriots may have more to think about than just getting through one injury absence. For a team that has been searching for steadier footing at the position, this is the kind of camp development that can quietly become a real roster decision. [Read more 🡒]