3 Observations As Tom Gamble Leaves Jaguars for Jim Harbaugh and Michigan
The Jacksonville Jaguars have seen their front office shake up a bit, but not exactly in the way many have anticipated.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Jaguars have lost senior front office executive Tom Gamble, with Gamble now joining forces with Jim Harbaugh as Michigan's director of player personnel.
“Former Jaguars’ executive Tom Gamble is joining Jim Harbaugh’s staff for the third time and becoming Michigan’s director of player personnel, per league sources. Gamble is a respected personnel executive who spent over 30 years in the NFL,” Schefter said.
“Tom Gamble worked with Harbaugh in [San Francisco], at Michigan, and now again at Michigan. Gamble spent last season as the Jags Sr. Personnel Executive but wants to be around Harbaugh and chose to go back to Ann Arbor.”
So, what does the loss of Gamble to Michigan and college football mean for the Jaguars and their front office moving forward? We weigh in with a few thoughts below.
Not surprising that Gamble and Harbaugh reunite
While you don't often see high-ranking NFL front office executives leave for college management roles, it ultimately isn't too surprising to see Tom Gamble opt to reunite with Jim Harbaugh after the two worked together with the 49ers for two years. With Harbaugh as head coach, Gamble first was the 49ers' and Harbaugh's director of pro personnel before becoming the team's director of player personnel in 2012. Gamble worked with Harbaugh at Michigan once before, too, serving as the senior advisor to the head coach and player personnel at Michigan from 2017-19.
Had Harbaugh taken an NFL job such as the Minnesota Vikings, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to think Gamble could have potentially been one of his hand-picked front office members. The two clearly were able to build a professional relationship during their days with the 49ers, so I see this as more of Gamble wanting to work with Harbaugh as opposed to him wanting to leave Jacksonville's front office.
Losing Gamble means Trent Baalke loses a familiar face in the front office
While losing Tom Gamble to Michigan may not make a tremendous impact on the Jaguars' day-to-day and big picture tasks, it is clear that his absence will be a loss for general manager Trent Baalke in terms of having a familiar face around the building. Baalke and Gamble each started with the 49ers in 2005 and Gamble twice served under Baalke -- once as director of player personnel and once as assistant general manager.
"Right now, he’s just within the department. The title thing, I’ve never been a big title guy, we’ll figure all of that out. I think the key is the value he brings to this organization, the value he brings to myself in knowing Tom and working alongside him for as long as I have," Baalke said about Gamble last January. "I trust him, I respect him and I’m just looking forward to working with him again."
Considering the massive changes that could be underway in the Jaguars' organization following the Urban Meyer era and into the beginning of the Doug Pederson regime, Gamble's absence could be a notable one for a general manager who has worked with him for a large chunk of his time as a general manager in the NFL. Baalke clearly trusted Gamble and valued his opinion, so not having him right beside him in the front office will likely be an adjustment.
Potential assistant general manager position became that much more readily available
While Gamble didn't hold the title of assistant general manager in Jacksonville, I do not think his actual role was all that different. He joined the front office right at the start of Baalke's tenure as general manager and the Jaguars' statement when he was hired said he would "assist Trent Baalke in all areas of player personnel. Combine this with the glowing reviews Baalke gave Gamble, and it is tough to imagine he wasn't more or less Baalke's No. 2 in the front office.
“Tom brings 30 years of NFL experience in player personnel, and, given our extensive history together, his counsel, expertise, and wealth of relationships in the business will help us in every aspect of player acquisition and retention," Baalke said in a statement when Gamble was hired.
As a result of Gamble's departure, that creates an even easier path for an external candidate to emerge as Baalke's potential assistant general manager in Jacksonville. While owner Shad Khan did not specifically say an assistant general manager was in the plans, he did say he wanted to add more "brainpower" to the front office and this meant both above and below Baalke in the power structure. The Jaguars needed an official No. 2 even before Gamble's departure, and that need is even greater now.
