New England Patriots
“That style of coaching, you don’t get everywhere else.”
FOXBOROUGH — Mike Vrabel didn’t sugarcoat anything earlier this week when asked about 2026 second-round pick Gabe Jacas’ preseason debut last Thursday against the Colts.
“Okay,” Vrabel said of Jacas’ performance. “I think that it needs to be better.”
It was a blunt but truthful sentiment from the Patriots head coach.
While Jacas showcased some of his athleticism and initial burst off the line by pressuring Indy QB Anthony Richardson just before an interception, the rookie also found himself in no-man’s land on several occasions — struggling with play recognition off read-option plays and screens out to his side of the field.
But, Jacas has taken Vrabel’s stern commentary and exacting approach in stride, joking that Vrabel might be the focus of his harsh coaching because he now dons Vrabel’s former No. 50 in New England.
Still, the talented edge rusher added that he likes that Vrabel holds him to such a high standard — even with the rookie playing catch-up after missing all of OTAs and minicamp due to a contract dispute and an offseason knee procedure.
“That style of coaching, you don’t get everywhere else,” Jacas noted Wednesday. “So, the fact that he’s so hard on me just brings the best out of me every day.”
Despite Vrabel’s remarks earlier this week, he also offered praise for how Jacas responded in the days since that game against the Colts.
“It was better on Saturday than it was in the game,” Vrabel noted on Monday. “We pointed some things out to him in the game, and I felt it was really cool of him to be able to make those corrections and look at some of the body positions that we feel like he should be in, and he was really conscious of those, and I saw those things translate in just a quick, short amount of time from the meeting after the game to Saturday’s practice.”
The 22-year-old has continued to stack positive days, standing as one of the few players on New England’s pass-rushing corps who dialed up pressure against the Eagles during Wednesday’s joint practice — including a few quality reps during the teams’ two-minute drill.
“I want to do everything right. I’m the type of guy [where] I want to be perfect in everything I do, especially my technique,” Jacas said, adding: “Just be able to use my hands, use my power. He just continues to bring out the best tangibles that I got.”
Jacas has not had an extended runway to get up to speed before his first year in the NFL.
But, on a New England defense that can desperately use his pass-rushing capabilities, Jacas feels as though he’s starting to find some traction out on the football fields behind Gillette Stadium.
“I’ve progressed a lot. Each and every practice I get better, and I continue to improve,” Jacas said. “So each and every day, I’m just working on the little things, whatever that could be in the pass game or run game. [It’s] just a blessing to be out here, and … I’m just continuing to build and build.”
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