A few weeks after dismissing general manager Trent Baalke, the Jacksonville Jaguars have begun the search for his replacement. They put in several requests for interviews to start the process and later added another name to the list: Los Angeles Rams director of scouting James Gladstone. While he's far from the only intriguing option for the opening, the Jags should be thrilled about the hype the universal praise he's garnering.
Adam Schefter of ESPN originally reported that Jacksonville requested to meet with Gladstone for its general manager vacancy.
Jaguars requested permission to interview Rams Director of Scouting James Gladstone for their GM job.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 4, 2025
Not long after, Kara Henderson Snead, wife of Rams general manager Les Snead, said that the Jags would hit it out of the ballpark if they hired him.
He’s the absolute best. Would kill it. https://t.co/EGT3391tYT
— Kara Henderson Snead (@KaraHenderson) February 4, 2025
Former All-Pro left tackle Andrew Whitworth also caught wind of the news and said that he would be bitter if Gladstone left Los Angeles but was thrilled he was getting a chance at a general manager position.
Can you be equally super excited and also pretty hurt when someone gets an opp they deserve??
— Andrew Whitworth (@AndrewWhitworth) February 4, 2025
James is great human and very talented.
Rams would miss him https://t.co/yGh4sH05WQ
Draft analyst Matt Miller of ESPN also was enthused to hear that Gladstone was getting a look, pointing out that the Jags' philosophy of scouting talent would change considerably.
This would significantly alter the Jags philosophy on the draft. I love it. https://t.co/ROEcF5cMhr
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) February 4, 2025
So what's the fuzz about Gladstone? He's spent his whole front-office career in LA, where he worked his way up to director of scouting strategy, according to the Rams' official website. In his role, he works directly with Snead in "the planning and execution of the club's day-to-day scouting processes."
Since Gladstone took over, the Rams have drafted franchise cornerstones as receiver Puka Nacua, edge rusher Jared Verse, defensive tackle Braden Friske, center Steven Avila, outside linebacker Byron Young, and defensive tackle Kobie Turner just to name a few.
On a related note, the Jags wanted to interview Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant general manager Mike Greenberg for their opening, but he's withdrawn his name for consideration.
The Jaguars should be thrilled about the praise James Gladstone is getting
Perhaps it doesn't have as many twists and turns as their search for a head coach, but the Jaguars' process of finding a general manager hasn't been linear either. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though, especially if they want to end up with the best candidate for the job.
Just a few days ago, Albert Breer had reported that Jaguars interim general manager Ethan Waugh, former Tennessee Titans general manager Jon Robinson, and Chicago Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham were in the mix for the job. However, Jacksonville hasn't scheduled an interview with Robinson yet, and Cunningham doesn't appear to be in the front seat as Adam Schefter had previously suggested.
This is to say that the process that the Jags are taking their time to ensure they get the most qualified candidate for the job. Based on the hype he's getting and his resume with the Los Angeles Rams, James Gladstone should feel good about their chances of filling the vacancy. Then again, the search is ongoing, and there may not be a clear-cut favorite yet.
It's also worth noting that Pro Football Hall-of-Fame left tackle Tony Boselli just became the vice president of football operations in Jacksonville. He'll assist owner Shad Khan in the process and could play a role in who ultimately gets the job.
The bottom line is that James Gladstone is an enticing candidate for the Jaguars general manager job, but the team is still doing due diligence, and it's hard to tell how things will play out.