FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Jacas intel: Patriots coach Mike Vrabel didn't fully divulge details surrounding the absence of second-round pick Gabe Jacas from last week's mandatory minicamp, one of the more unusual stories across the NFL.
Vrabel acknowledged the linebacker had a procedure, has yet to sign his contract and wasn't with the team. What he didn't say is why Jacas needed a procedure, how long he has been absent and what this means for his rookie season.
Here's what we know:
Jacas reported to the Patriots' facility for rookie minicamp May 7 and was watching from the sideline in his blue No. 50 jersey when media members were present for the second day of rookie minicamp on May 9.
At that time, Jacas and first-round offensive tackle Caleb Lomu were the Patriots' lone unsigned draft picks. But Lomu, like the majority of other unsigned picks across the NFL, participated in practice anyway. Jacas didn't, which reflects that he wasn't medically cleared to practice.
The reason, which remains unknown, seems to hit at the bull's-eye of why the Patriots have yet to sign Jacas to a contract when every other second-rounder in the NFL is under contract.
Jacas had a hamstring injury in the predraft process that led him to not participate in the NFL combine on Feb. 26 and Illinois' pro day on March 12. But he was healthy enough to work out at his personal pro day April 2 and ran a 4.69 in the 40-yard dash, with a 10-yard split of 1.59.
Two sources from different NFL teams said their clubs gave Jacas a passing grade on his physical exam, although both noted a labral tear in his shoulder that could eventually require medical attention, and one noted a stress fracture in his foot that could potentially worsen over time.
But a source familiar with Jacas' recovery said he underwent a knee procedure that was described as a "clean-up." It is not known whether something happened after Jacas' physical exam and subsequent recheck at the combine, or when the Patriots had him in for a predraft visit the week of April 20, and that information wasn't disclosed to the team.
Vrabel deflected questions on the topic. Jacas' agent declined comment.
One high-ranking NFL executive hypothesized that the Patriots are likely seeking a level of financial protection in the contract based on the medical procedure, which would explain the holdup.
The medical procedure isn't one that should threaten Jacas' availability for the 2026 season and there is hope he will be ready for training camp, according to a source. But missing classroom time in the spring could affect his development.
Jacas hasn't been with the Patriots since May, according to a source. His absence is tied, in part, to not being given a standard "participation agreement" from the Patriots, according to a source. Most draft picks receive such an agreement, which states that if they were to sustain an injury prior to signing their first NFL contract, the team would still be obligated to sign him to a contract based on the slot he was drafted.
"As long as he's a Patriot, he'll always have a plan for [this] year. Will he be a little bit behind? Yeah. Who wouldn't?" outside linebackers coach Mike Smith said. "As a coach, I coach things different; I've got a different mama [approach] than every other OLB or edge coach in the NFL. That's my job -- to try to get him ready to go when his opportunity [comes]."
When the Patriots traded up to select Jacas at No. 55, they envisioned him as a critical cog at a position in transition. Eight-year veteran Dre'Mont Jones and nine-year veteran Harold Landry III (recovering from offseason knee surgery) project as the starters, with Jacas and second-year players Elijah Ponder and Bradyn Swinson next on the depth chart, followed by four-year veteran Jesse Luketa.
Vrabel called it a "good group" that has done a "nice job" this spring, and hinted the team wasn't looking to add to it.
Adding Jacas, assuming the sides can ultimately resolve their stalemate, might be all they need.
One NFL outside linebackers coach who studied Jacas leading into the draft had high regard for him, citing his "great personality" while noting he is "highly coachable."
The coach referred to Jacas as a "big, physical edge-setter" with the versatility to potentially rush from inside in obvious passing situations.
"He would fix a major issue they last year -- losing the edge on outside runs. He would give them a reliable guy with length who can make those runs cut back," the coach said.
2. Brown buzz: Wide receiver A.J. Brown's arrival on June 1 created a palpable surge of energy throughout the team in the three full-speed practices observed by reporters.
In Brown's first practice, he went through drills last among the receivers. By his final practice, he was first in line -- and also among the leaders of the full-team stretch. Brown had said he wanted to earn teammates' respect before doing that, which happened quickly, as he said receiver DeMario "Pop" Douglas pushed him into those spots.
3. Boutte's return: Fourth-year receiver Kayshon Boutte didn't miss a beat after electing to stay away from voluntary practices. He looked like one of the best receivers on the field in the first practice of mandatory minicamp.
Receivers coach Todd Downing called it a "great day" for him, before adding, "Really good to see him in shape and doing the things he was doing full speed."
WR Kayshon Boutte - one-handed under the goal posts. pic.twitter.com/FyAwjQWHGK
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) June 11, 2026
4. TE on radar: Julian Hill's season-ending knee injury could soon have the Patriots in the tight end market, with Vrabel saying, "Just from a numbers standpoint at camp, I think that is probably somewhere where we would have to address."
Ideally it would be with a Y-type option who can move bodies on the line of scrimmage, with Will Dissly, Pharaoh Brown and Nick Vannett among the more established veterans currently available in free agency, and former Packer John FitzPatrick (fifth season) a younger option who is recovering from an Achilles injury sustained in December.
5. Family games: Rookie tight end Eli Raridon (third round, Notre Dame) said his team emerged victorious in the "family games" part of the Patriots' offseason program. Vrabel split the Patriots into 13 different teams and they had a competition each Wednesday -- from sled pushes to escape rooms -- to see who could generate the most points.
In Wednesday's installment, Raridon was on a team that included defensive tackle Milton Williams, offensive tackle Marcus Bryant, receiver Efton Chism III, tight end Jack Westover and cornerback Kindle Vildor.
"That's been a super fun component to the last month," Raridon said.
Fun fact: TE Eli Raridon, who signed a four-year, $6.748 million contract with $1.368 million fully guaranteed, drives a 2018 Nissan Altima and won't be upgrading any time soon.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) June 11, 2026
"Plan on driving it until the wheels fall off," the third-round pick from Notre Dame said. pic.twitter.com/zwuz3eohqn
6. Maye at line: Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels challenged quarterback Drake Maye in spring practices by having him hurry to the line of scrimmage but often not giving him a playcall, which provides Maye a chance to solve problems.
"Then we can go into the meeting room and talk about what he was thinking, why he was thinking. If it was a great answer, you give him a pat on the back. If it's something you might want to tweak or adjust, we talk about it," quarterbacks coach Ashton Grant explained.
"It's easy to say solve the problems, but if you never let him practice solving problems, then you're just talking to a cement wall ... We're trying to weaponize Drake's mind. As opposed to be just throwers of the football, we want them to be operators of the offense."
7. Lomu on move: One unique part of Lomu's first spring with the Patriots is that he's lined up at both tackle and guard spots, and it's looked mostly seamless.
"I love the versatility," Vrabel said.
The 6-foot-6, 313-pound Lomu said initially playing right tackle took some getting used to because he played on the left side at Utah, and that at guard everything happens a little quicker -- but "it feels natural now" and "at the end of the day it's playing football and blocking the man."
While Thursday marked the last day of the offseason program for veterans, Lomu and the rest of the rookie class (minus Jacas) are scheduled to remain in town through this week before the break before training camp.
8. Red zone: If there was a theme to mandatory minicamp, it was the red zone, where the Patriots finished the 2025 season 20th in touchdown efficiency on offense (57%), and 16th on defense (57.6%).
Every play of the team's final practice was run inside the 20, and one assistant said the reasons were straightforward -- that's where many games are won and lost, and there's room for improvement.
9. Helping HBCUs: The Patriots opened their mandatory minicamp to Howard University tight ends/quality control coach Eric Miller, who watched practices from the sideline.
Miller played wide receiver at Princeton and Georgia State before embarking on a coaching career split between high school and college over the past two decades, and now can take some Patriots-based ideas back to Howard.
10. Did You Know: If Patriots safety Kevin Byard leads the NFL in interceptions in 2026, he will be just the third player since 1970 to lead the league in two consecutive years, joining Everson Walls (Dallas, 1981-82) and Bill Bradley (Philadelphia, 1971-72).