Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Update: Mike Vrabel Reveals Latest on Gabe Jacas and Christian Gonzalez!

Starting point is 00:00:00 Mike Vrable speaks on the eve of training camp and opens up about Gabacus, Christian Gonzalez, and more. This is Lockdown Patriots. You are Locked on Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast, part of the Lockedon Podcast Network, your team every day. It's happening. I am your host, Nick Cattles. On today's bonus episode, The Pats have become the hunted, and Mike Vrable has a monumental challenge on his hands. in the second segment, the very latest on Christian Gonzalez, and whether he'll participate or not in camp. But first, the Gabe Accus dilemma continues.

Starting point is 00:00:44 Gabe Accus has not reported. Gabe Accus is not under contract. As of Friday afternoon, he's not there. Now, Mike Vrabel was there and spoke to the media on Friday morning at Gillette about Gabe Acus and more about the rookie. Mike Vrable said, quote, we're continuing to work through the contract. Those talks have been positive.

Starting point is 00:01:07 Hopefully we'll get him in here sooner rather than later. Spoken to Gabe personally, excited to get him in when he's under contract. Mike Vrable was asked about Gabe Accus' physical situation. The head coach said, quote, I can only go off what he says. When he gets here, we'll evaluate that just to see because we haven't seen him with us. Use the words cautiously optimistic. excited to see where he's at. And finally, Vrable was asked about Gabe Ackison, whether or not he had a post-draft injury.

Starting point is 00:01:41 The Patriots were unaware of what really was going on. And Mike Vrable said, quote, we're not going to get into the injuries. Mention Gabe had a surgery to take care of some things. That's where we're at. The training staff have been in contact with him throughout the summer, unquote. Now, first, let me start here. having communication with Gabacus is a good thing. The fact that Mike Vrable has spoken to Gabe Accus, that's good.

Starting point is 00:02:09 The fact the rookie is speaking with the, you know, medical and training staff. That is good. So at least the lines of communication have been open and there has been dialogue. But I want to know the specifics. Here's a question. Have the Patriots reviewed any imaging before this surgery? after this surgery, especially if the Patriots didn't know about the surgery coming up or didn't know about an injury. Now, that has not specifically been reported. But if there's some question

Starting point is 00:02:42 of whether or not the Patriots knew of what was going on, what have they actually seen? What have they actually been told by the people who operated on Gabe Accus? So the lines of communication are open, which is good, but how much information has actually been given to the Patriots? What do they know? Now, I know a lot of people will say, well, the social media videos look great, Nick, and they do. Gay-Bacchus looks great on social media. He's running around, he's lifting weights, he's doing squats. But inevitably, the question is, how will the affected area or areas that we're talking about, how will they react to impact? There's a lot of different things you've got to do on a football field, not just running and

Starting point is 00:03:32 lifting weights. So again, devils in the details. And of course, nothing. Nothing can fill the void of Gabacus being at that facility, watching film, having conversations with the coaching staff, having conversations. with the veterans on the defensive side of the football and the offensive side. The offense helps the defense. Let's not forget that.

Starting point is 00:03:58 And there is no. There is no answer to filling the void of getting actual reps at the NFL level during training camp. So Gabacus could be talking to Mike Vrabo all he wants. But if he's not there at the facility, like he has not been there since the beginning of rookie minicamp, he's missing out on a lot. And if camp starts without Gabe Accus, he's missing out on even more. And moving forward, I'm tempering my expectations. Perakis is 2026.

Starting point is 00:04:32 I was high on the pick. I was high on the move. But I do think this will impact. The longer this drags on, if this continues, it will impact what Gabe Accus can do this year. And I do believe that it lowers his ceiling as far as his rookie season goes. And Mike Vrable certainly did not give any types of hints or clues that this thing was close

Starting point is 00:04:56 to being done. Now, maybe it gets done before training camp starts on Saturday morning. Maybe it gets done right when I release this. Who knows? But as of right now, what we know, ACUS has not reported. Acus is not under contract. And there still seems to be some questioning about what really went on. how he's feeling and whether or not he will be at the facility anytime soon.

Starting point is 00:05:25 Another big question about this camp is, of course, Christian Gonzalez. Will Christian Gonzalez participate at camp without an extension? We'll have the latest on that next. This is Lockdown Patriots, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network. Now, the number one sports podcast network, your team every day. Running a business shouldn't feel like you're trying to connect a bunch of systems that were never designed to work together. app for accounting, another for inventory, another for sales, and somehow none of them talk to

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Starting point is 00:07:57 give us that thumbs up if you're watching on YouTube like. Don't forget to throw a comment in as well. Your thoughts on what Mike Vrable had to say about Gabe Accus's situation. And don't forget to subscribe. We are gunning for 11,000 subscribers by opening night that Wednesday night in Seattle. Christian Gonzalez did report today for training camp. No extension just yet. Mike Vrable spoke to the media on Friday about Gonzalez's

Starting point is 00:08:24 situation. Mike Frable said, quote, he is here. I'd expect him to participate. Those contract negotiations are ongoing. I'm excited about having Christian back here with us and the impact he can make with our football team. Enjoy the person. Enjoy the player, unquote. Participation. Great. But again, we've got to say it. Specifics. Details. Will Christian Gonzalez participate? Mike Frable says, he expects so. but I got questions. How much will Christian Gonzalez participate? Will he participate every day?

Starting point is 00:09:03 Will he be out there throughout the day? Will Christian Gonzalez participate in team drills? Will he participate only in individual drills? Is he going to be out there during 11 on 11s? Are we going to see A.J. Brown versus Christian Gonzalez? Or is he going to do the bare minimum? I don't know the answer to any of those questions. We have to see how this plays out.

Starting point is 00:09:28 But just because Mike Vrable goes out there and says that Christian Gonzalez is going to participate does not necessarily mean this is, you know, fifth gear, let's go shot out of a cannon. I don't anticipate that being how this plays out. Until Christian Gonzalez gets his contract extension, I am expecting him to do very little. maybe he goes out there and does the occasional individual drill. We'll see. Now, earlier this week, Ian Rappaport of the NFL network reported that the Patriots and Christian Gonzalez are still having conversations about the contract extension. And in that report, Ian Rappaport said that Devin Witherspoon is further ahead with his

Starting point is 00:10:15 negotiation with Seattle and that Christian Gonzalez will likely happen quickly after or short shortly after Devin Witherspoon and his deal gets done. So what is the impact of Devin Witherspoon in his negotiation? Well, Mike Vrable said, quote, I don't think those things. I don't think they have anything to do with one another. We're not negotiating with the Seahawks. We're negotiating with Christians' representatives. Now, Mike Vrable is not going to go out there and publicly negotiate and use another team

Starting point is 00:10:51 in those public negotiation. So I am not surprised that Mike Vrable says, well, I don't think Devin Witherspoon and Seattle's negotiation has to do anything with our negotiation with Christian

Starting point is 00:11:07 Gonzalez and his reps. Well, it's not like you're patching in Devin Witherspoon to be part of the conversation. You're not patching in the Seattle Seahawks. You're not having a conference call with everybody involved. But absolutely, each negotiation impacts the other.

Starting point is 00:11:27 There's no doubt. Both guys play cornerback. Both guys are looking for contract extensions. Both guys have the same agent. So we would all have to be naive to think that it has zero impact. I just don't think Mike Vrable is going out there and publicly declaring it. And at least the Patriots and Gonzalez, have handled this, in my estimation, very professionally.

Starting point is 00:11:57 And I still think this eventually gets done. Marcus Jones spoke to the media as well, Andrew Callahan transcribing. And Marcus Jones said this about Christian Gonzalez, quote, the organization knows the value that he brings to the team. And Gonzo loves it here. I know that for a fact. And however they handle that in everything like that, I think it's going to get handled, unquote.

Starting point is 00:12:22 Sauce Gardner was done in July. I have said I expect Gonzalez to get done in July. Will it happen? We're running out of time as far as this month goes. But Patrick Sartan got his deal done with Denver much later in the process, somewhere around September. So there's still plenty of time to hammer this thing out. And we're all kind of looking towards Seattle, no matter what Mike Vrable says or doesn't say, we're all looking towards Seattle to see if when this Devin-Witherspoon deal gets done.

Starting point is 00:12:52 because Christian Gonzalez is better than Devin Witherspoon, and it makes a lot of sense for Christian Gonzalez to wait to see that number, and then turn to the Patriots and say, give me a little bit more than that. Mike Vrable and the players on this team's biggest challenge and a long-rumored edition of a legend has actually happened. Sort of. It's coming up.

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Starting point is 00:14:33 We spoke about the excitement of this camp, the latest full episode of this podcast. The expectations are through the roof. And Mike Vrable spoke about the expectations and his messaging to the team after getting to the Super Bowl last year. And the coach said, quote, I don't think the messaging will be much different. We have to build each and every year. We have to start over, figure it. out the things we do well, push the envelope on some of the things that we weren't very good at last

Starting point is 00:14:59 year. That happens every single training camp. It wasn't just Mike Vrable talking about the expectations. Taylor Kyle's posted about what Marcus Jones had to say. And Kyle's wrote, Joan says the Patriots, no, they're not a team being hunted, no, they're a team being hunted and will carry a chip on their shoulders, but that they can't get ahead of themselves. So Marcus Jones says, hey man, we are now a team. that is being hunted. We've got that chip on our shoulder, but we've got to focus on the week to week. Robert Spillane said, quote, hunger is at an all-time high, unquote. I am not concerned about the mental preparation of the Patriots this year. I am not concerned about the ego of the Patriots this year. I believe in this team's culture that has been built in the foundation

Starting point is 00:15:54 of said culture. I believe in the veterans in that room, like Marcus Jones, like Robert Spillane, like Morgan Moses, to keep guys level-headed. And I especially have confidence in Mike Vrable and this coaching staff.

Starting point is 00:16:12 Mike Vrable has been to Super Bowls as a player. He's won them. He's lost them as a coach. You've got Josh McDaniels who has plenty of experience of getting to the Promise Land, getting to the Super Bowl having to come back the next year. So I'm not worried about the mentality of this team.

Starting point is 00:16:33 The biggest challenge for this team is twofold. As Marcus Jones said, you are absolutely the hunted now. That's what you are. Whether you like it or not, you're in the crosshairs. And it's cliche, but it's cliche because it's true. The Patriots are going to get everyone's best punch. Every single team is going to get geared up for the Patriots. They represented the AFC in the Super Bowl last year.

Starting point is 00:17:01 They're not going to sneak up on anybody. So that's number one. Number two is the physical attrition. And the ability to come back after playing 21 football games last year, regular season, playoffs combined, 21 games. And it is very very. very difficult to go through what it takes to play 21 NFL games that matter, come back the next season on a shortened offseason,

Starting point is 00:17:35 and be able to physically stack up and play another 17-plus games at the level you played the year prior. Those are the biggest challenges to me. I'm not worried about the mental. One more note, really cool. Mike Rable told the media that DeAndre Hopkins is actually going to be at Patriots camp, not to play football. DeAndre Hopkins is not signing a contract with the Patriots. He is not going to be playing receiver with the Patriots.

Starting point is 00:18:08 DeAndre Hopkins is in New England to, for all intents and purposes, feel out the idea of coaching. And what that takes and what that feels like and whether or not DeAndre Hopkins likes doing that. Mike Vrable also said that DeAndre Hopkins will be talking to personnel people, see if that's something he might be interested in. So this is more of like a fact-finding mission for DeAndre Hopkins' future in the NFL, knowing that he's pretty much done with his playing career. But I find it to be really cool. And after all the time we spent discussing DeAndre Hopkins being a patriot, I mean, year in and year out for a long stretch. After all that talk, he's in Foxborough. He's a Patriot. Kind of, sort of. That wraps up this bonus edition of Lockdown Patriots. Reach out to me on Twitter

Starting point is 00:19:07 at Nick C Radio. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe on YouTube. Thank you for making Lockdown Patriots your first listen. If you're a second listen, check out Lockdown NFL scouting. Kyle Crabs and Joe Marino will make you the most informed NFL fan this offseason. Find Lockdown NFL scouting on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts. Have a great day. Check you out next time.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Update: Mike Vrabel Reveals Latest on Gabe Jacas and Christian Gonzalez!

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