Gabe Jacas Lands on NFI List as Rare Knee Injury Waiver Surfaces
The Patriots rookie's contract carries an unusual injury waiver on his left knee covering 2027 and 2028 — and it points to three possible causes.
On the NFI list with a knee that failed a physical — no dynasty rush needed.
- First 3 years of Jacas deal fully guaranteed
- ~17.5% of Year 4 also guaranteed
- Injury waiver covers 2027 and 2028 seasons
- Currently on non-football injury list
- Waiver excludes left knee from those guarantees
Patriots rookie Gabe Jacas opened his NFL career with a contract quirk you almost never see in a slotted rookie deal: an injury waiver tied to his left knee. As detailed by Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, the first three years of the deal are fully guaranteed plus roughly 17.5 percent of Year 4 — but that guarantee specifically won't apply to the left knee across the 2027 and 2028 league years.
The context here matters. Jacas is currently parked on the non-football injury list, which strongly implies the knee kept him from passing a pre-camp physical. Landing on the NFI list before you've played a snap is not the way any rookie draws it up.
Why the Waiver Exists
A source with deep knowledge of contract negotiations laid out three plausible explanations for why a waiver like this ends up in an otherwise standard rookie contract: a medical issue that went undisclosed at the Scouting Combine, an injury suffered between the Combine and the draft, or something that happened away from the team facility after he was picked. Teams draft players as-is, so if New England knew or should've known about the knee, Jacas, his agent and the NFLPA would presumably be raising a fuss. They aren't — which nudges toward one of those three scenarios.
Jacas didn't have much leverage to fight it, either. His alternative was refusing to sign, sitting out the season, and re-entering the 2027 draft. That path almost certainly wouldn't have improved his draft slot, and it would've cost him a full year of football and a full year of pay. Signing the waiver was the pragmatic move.
The Fantasy Fallout
For dynasty managers, this is a data point, not a five-alarm fire. Jacas is a defensive prospect, so his direct fantasy value is limited to IDP leagues, and the bigger question is simply whether the knee lets him take the field at all this season. An NFI designation before camp is a real red flag on availability, even if the long-term guarantees remain mostly intact.
Bottom line: if you're in a deep IDP or dynasty format, hold whatever stake you have and monitor the practice reports closely — a return to the active roster changes the calculus fast. If you don't already own him, there's no reason to burn a roster spot chasing a rookie who can't currently pass a physical. Let this one develop before you spend anything.
