The Jaguars are hiring Rams director of scouting technique James Gladstone as their subsequent normal supervisor, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The group confirmed the rent via social media, and Jaguars proprietor Shad Khan launched an announcement calling Gladstone “distinctive in each regard,” per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Gladstone will turn into the youngest normal supervisor within the league at 34 years outdated. He was beforehand a highschool coach in St. Louis earlier than being employed by Rams normal supervisor Les Snead. Gladstone has spent the final eight years in Los Angeles together with the final 4 as director of scouting technique.
The Rams persistently hit on their draft picks in Gladstone’s tenure regardless of buying and selling away most of their first-round picks. He’ll hope to convey that success to Jacksonville, who had an inconsistent drafting report underneath Trent Baalke. The Jaguars at the moment maintain the fifth total choice within the 2025 NFL Draft, giving Gladstone an opportunity so as to add an elite prospect along with his first decide as GM.
Snead might look to an inner promotion to exchange Gladstone in Los Angeles. Candidates might embody director of information and analytics Jake Temme and scouting strategist Nicole Blake, per Jordan Rodrigue of The Athletic.
Gladstone was not thought of a front-runner for the Jaguars’ GM job when the team first requested to interview him, partially as a result of he was not thought of for any of the opposite vacancies this hiring cycle. He impressed group decision-makers sufficient in his first interview to earn a second, solidifying him as a finalist for the job in Jacksonville. Now, he’ll group up with new head coach Liam Coen in an effort to rebuild the group after a 4-13 displaying in 2024.
The Jaguars’ GM emptiness was the final to be stuffed of this 12 months’s hiring cycle, so Gladstone must transfer rapidly to organize the roster without spending a dime company. Jacksonville at the moment has just below $40M in cap area however might create one other $35M of room by shifting on from Christian Kirk, Evan Engram, and Josh Reynolds. Reynolds made only one catch in 2024 and gained’t be value his $4.26M cap hit subsequent season. Kirk and Engram each performed nicely in 2022 and 2023 however skilled a downtick in manufacturing final 12 months earlier than happening with season-ending accidents. They signify the group’s two greatest cap hits in 2025, so the brand new regime might desire to chop ties relatively than prolong gamers they didn’t initially signal.
Gladstone beat out quite a few veteran executives for the GM function in Jacksonville in what Khan known as “a painstaking however energizing interview course of.” Beneath is a full record of their candidates:
- Chad Alexander, assistant normal supervisor (Chargers): Interviewed 2/13
- Brandon Brown, assistant normal supervisor (Giants): Interviewed 2/13; strong contender?
- Trey Brown, senior personnel government (Bengals): Interviewed 2/12
- Ian Cunningham, assistant normal supervisor (Bears): Conducted second interview 2/19
- James Gladstone, scouting director (Rams): Hired
- Terrance Grey, vp of participant personnel (Payments): Interviewed 2/12
- Mike Greenberg, assistant normal supervisor (Buccaneers): Declined interview
- Champ Kelly, assistant normal supervisor (Raiders): Interviewed 2/14
- Jon Robinson, former normal supervisor (Titans): One of top candidates?; Interviewed 2/13
- Jon-Eric Sullivan, vp of participant personnel (Packers): Conducted second interview 2/20
- Ethan Waugh, interim normal supervisor (Jaguars): Strong candidate?; Interviewed 2/20
- Josh Williams, director of scouting and soccer operations (49ers): Conducted second interview 2/19
