Photo Credit: Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP
The Jacksonville Jaguars have named James Gladstone their new general manager, the team announced Friday. Gladstone, who spent the past nine seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, most recently served as their director of scouting strategy.
Gladstone’s Background and Role with the Rams
During his time with the Rams, Gladstone played a key role in scouting strategy and roster planning. Over the past three seasons, he worked closely with general manager Les Snead, overseeing daily scouting operations and contributing to player evaluations.
Gladstone first joined the Rams in 2016 as a senior assistant to Snead before earning a promotion to senior assistant to the GM/player personnel coordinator in 2018. He later served as the team’s director of scouting from 2021 to 2022 before returning to his scouting strategy role.
His tenure in Los Angeles coincided with the Rams’ bold roster moves, including the 2021 trade that sent quarterback Jared Goff, two first-round picks, and a third-rounder to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Matthew Stafford. The move paid off as Stafford led the Rams to a Super Bowl victory in his first season.
In 2024, the Rams used their first first-round pick in seven years on edge rusher Jared Verse, who became the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year after leading all rookies in QB hits (18), pressures (77), and hurries (56).
Jaguars Owner Shad Khan on the Hiring
Jaguars owner Shad Khan spoke highly of Gladstone’s qualifications and the extensive search process.
“James emerged as my choice, and our choice, following a painstaking but energizing interview process that left nothing to doubt,” Khan said in a statement. “Every candidate delivered, and I am grateful to them all for their preparation and time spent with us this week in Jacksonville. In the end, we found James to be a class ahead and exceptional in every regard—vision, new ideas, communication, chemistry, and a keen understanding of the league and our team.”
Khan expressed confidence in the leadership group that now includes Gladstone, head coach Liam Coen, executive vice president of football operations Tony Boselli, and chief football strategy officer Tony Khan.
“This is also an occasion to thank Jaguars fans everywhere for their support and faith over the years,” Khan added. “I know we can count on them to warmly welcome James to Duval while rallying behind our organization and team as we chart a new and promising path forward.”
Competition for the Role
Gladstone, 34, was the youngest of the five finalists for the Jaguars’ GM position. He beat out San Francisco 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams (37), Green Bay Packers vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan (47), Chicago Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham (39), and Jaguars interim GM Ethan Waugh (50).
Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry remains the youngest GM in NFL history, having been hired at age 32 in 2020.
Transition from Trent Baalke
Gladstone replaces Trent Baalke, who served as Jacksonville’s GM from 2021 until he and Khan mutually parted ways on Jan. 22. Baalke’s status had been a contentious issue, particularly during the Jaguars’ head coaching search.
Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, the top candidate on the market, chose the Bears over Jacksonville. Liam Coen, who was initially a front-runner for the Jaguars’ job, backed out of a scheduled in-person interview on Jan. 22 and opted to stay with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, after Baalke’s departure, Khan convinced Coen to visit Jacksonville the next day, and the two sides finalized a deal late that night.
A Fresh Start for Jacksonville
With Gladstone now in place, the Jaguars have a new leadership team at the top, with Gladstone, Coen, and Boselli all stepping into their respective roles for the first time.
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This report used information from ESPN.
