The Los Angeles Rams lost a key member of their front office when director of scouting strategy James Gladstone agreed to become the general manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Gladstone, 34, had spent the last eight years with the Rams and worked closely with Los Angeles general manager Les Snead during the draft process. Now that he’s earned his own GM role, Gladstone took a moment out of his introductory press conference to thank Snead and his wife for helping him grow in his career.

“To Les and Kara Snead, you guys altered the trajectory of my life,” Gladstone said. “Supporting you, learning from you — that was an honor of a lifetime. And I’ll look to carry that experience forward every day in this role.”

Oddly enough, the Rams will see Gladstone again this season. Los Angeles will play the Jaguars in Jacksonville at some point during the 2025 season . Considering the clear admiration Gladstone has for the Rams organization, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him connect with his former colleagues when they’re in town.

Gladstone reportedly played huge roles in the Rams’ recent run of quality draft picks that include Kyren Williams, Puka Nacua and Jared Verse.

Losing him is a blow, but the Rams had been great at replacing front office talent in the past. Brad Holmes, the GM of the Detroit Lions, was L.A.’s director of college scouting for seven years before taking his new job. Ray Agnew, the Rams’ former director of pro personnel, is now the Lions’ assistant GM under Holmes.

Now, the Rams turn their attention to the 2025 NFL draft without Gladstone. With the No. 26 pick, Los Angeles can go in a lot of different directions to bolster either side of the ball.