3 Observations on Jaguars Hiring James Gladstone

The Jacksonville Jaguars have their general manager.

After a long process that saw the Jaguars interview 11 candidates, the team decided on hiring Los Angeles Rams director of scouting strategy James Gladstone to lead their front office and scouting departments.

“James emerged as my choice, and our choice, following a painstaking but energizing interview process that left nothing to doubt," Jaguars owner Shad Khan said after hiring gladstone. "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, to name a few of many virtues he will bring immediately to the Jaguars. It’s going to be fun watching James work with our football leadership team of Liam Coen, Tony Boselli and Tony Khan, but most of all it will be rewarding. I am confident of that."

So, what do we ultimately make of the Gladstone hire? We break it down below.

Rams influence is strong in Duval

There is no questioning the influence of the Rams on the Jaguars' new path forward. Head coach Liam Coen spent four years there, including one as offensive coordinator. Gladstone spent nine seasons as one of Les Snead's top assistants and won a Super Bowl. Offensive coordinator Grant Udinski is a protege of former Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell, and former Rams passing game coordinator Shane Waldron holds the same role in Jacksonville.

This does not even include the number of Rams assistants who interviewed for spots on Coen's staff as offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and offensive line coach. It is clear as day the Jaguars are hoping to replicate the Rams' model on and off the field, which is a smarter bet than other models they have followed in the past.

Jaguars do a complete 180 on leadership traits

We have gone on record before saying that most teams try to hire coaches and general managers who are polar opposites of the people they just fired. It proved to be true with the hire of Coen, whose youth, experience, and energy all vastly differ from former head coach Doug Pederson. And it sure looks like it has been proven true again with the Gladstone hire.

Gladstone is a 34-year-old wunderkind with not even a full decade in the NFL yet. This is compared to the vastly experienced Trent Baalke, who had already been a scout for decades and a general manager for several years by the time he took the Jaguars job. Baalke was as old school as it gets. Gladstone, meanwhile, is as new school as one could find in a general manager candidate. The 180 is complete.

Why this could be the right hire for Liam Coen

It is hard to fully judge front office executives who are not their team's primary decision-makers. They clearly all play a role and some are more equipped for the job of general manager than others, but there is still a degree of unknown. With that said, one can surely judge their influences and the front offices they are coming from.

When it comes to Gladstone's background, it is easy to see why this could be the right hire to pair with Coen. The two have not only worked in the same franchise for four years before, but Gladstone is also coming from a well-ran front office that is also a part of a head coach-centric team. He has seen how a general manager can facilitate in a franchise ran by the head coach, which is what he is walking into in Jacksonville.

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