JG
James Gladstone
GM since Feb 2025(1 year, 5 mo)
GM rankings — every move graded by contract value, sentiment, and fan votes.
F
F
F
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The Verdict on James, in One Read
On the Contract Value Index, James Gladstone's front office has been significantly overpaying relative to production (F Contract Value Index). That ranks 27th of 32 on Sentiment among graded GMs. Reaction to the front office’s moves has been sharply negative (F Sentiment), drawn from current news and social signal. The crowd-sourced Fan Verdict currently sits at F.
About James Gladstone
Background and career path of the Jacksonville Jaguars general manager.
Path to the role
Gladstone played wide receiver at Division II Westminster College in Missouri and began his career as a high school teacher and coach, later earning a master's in secondary education administration. He joined the Los Angeles Rams in 2016 as a senior assistant to general manager Les Snead — a connection that came through coaching Snead's son — and spent eight years climbing the Rams' scouting structure, eventually serving as director of scouting strategy and winning Super Bowl LVI. Jacksonville hired him as general manager in February 2025.
Philosophy & notable moves
Gladstone made an immediate splash. In his first draft, he traded up from the fifth to the second overall pick to select Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter — an aggressive, headline-grabbing move that signaled his willingness to bet big on transformational talent. At 34, he was the youngest general manager in the NFL when hired, bringing the Rams' modern scouting philosophy to Jacksonville.
Fun facts
- He was the youngest general manager in the NFL when hired, at age 34.
- He started his career as a high school teacher and football coach before reaching the NFL.
- In his first Jaguars draft he traded up to No. 2 overall to select two-way Heisman winner Travis Hunter.
50
Transactions
50
Graded
0
Fan Votes
1 year
Tenure
League Comparison
#27
Sentiment Rank
of 32 GMs
#21
Most Active
50 moves
Contract Value
F
Poor contract value
OverpayFair ValueGreat Value
The Jacksonville Jaguars have been paying a premium this season, with several contracts that outpace the expected production level. Across 40 contracts, 2 grade out as good value and 3 look like overpays based on comparable deals around the league. The best bang-for-the-buck deal was Johnny Mundt (D+) at $1.5M/yr — getting tight end production well above the price point. The priciest commitment relative to production was Chandler Brayboy (D) at $0.9M/yr — the wide receiver market may have been richer than the on-field return suggests. Cap flexibility could become a concern if these contracts don't produce at the expected level.
Public Sentiment
F
Poor reception
NegativeMixedPositive
Jacksonville Jaguars' 2026 moves under James Gladstone have drawn significant criticism from fans and media alike. Of 50 graded moves, 14 landed well with the fanbase, 17 drew mixed reactions, and 19 were viewed negatively. The standout move was bringing in Devin Neal (A+), which generated the most positive buzz. The most questioned decision was the Cooper Hodges cut (F), which drew the sharpest criticism. The fanbase remains split — some moves look promising while others need time to prove their worth.
Draft History (During Tenure)
Elite drafter — 67% hit rate (Rds 1-3)2026 Draft
All 2026 Transactions
A
A
SigningJul 28, 2026
Jacksonville Jaguars sign CB Corey Ballentine
A
A
SigningJun 4, 2026
Jacksonville Jaguars sign OL Trystan Colon
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About this general manager
James Gladstone is the general manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars, in his 1st year as the lead executive. FanVerdicts covers every NFL GM and the full body of moves they've made — and asks fans to render the verdict. Cast your Fan Verdict on James Gladstone, see where the crowd lands, and argue the call. FanVerdicts brings its own read too — the contract value of the deals they signed, the performance of the players they assembled, and the sentiment around recent moves — as one honest input alongside the crowd's. Where FanVerdicts has weighed in so far: Contract Value Index F, Performance B, Sentiment F, Fan Verdict F.
Each GM grade is rolled up from the underlying transactions attributed to that GM's tenure. When a GM signs a player, that signing's Contract Value Index grade flows into the GM's portfolio score; the same player's subsequent performance and sentiment grades flow into the GM's respective summaries. Phased attribution applies for new GMs: the first three years weight the prior GM's legacy deals at 100%/66%/33%, ramping the new GM's ownership of roster outcomes.
For broader context, the NFL hub has team rankings, GM report cards, and the transactions feed. The NFL GM rankings page ranks every front office side-by-side on the same four dimensions.
