The Jacksonville Jaguars executed their plan with NFL free agency and they're moving on toward the NFL Draft.

The team signed nine players during the early portions of free agency to close open holes, some created artificially by the team and others by the skill level of the players on the team.

Multiple signees are expected to be immediate starters this season, and general manager James Gladstone noted the team got all nine of their initial targets.

"There were some holes on our roster and unlike the draft, an NFL pro-free agent has the chance to say, ‘You know what, I appreciate the offer, but I'm going somewhere else,’ right? In the draft, you send a name into a system and they're now a part of your team. So, that was dynamic walking into that door on Monday, you feel like, you know what, we're going to have to adjust today," Gladstone explained of the team's process.

"Well, lo and behold, we had nine names that we were prioritizing and we ended up with nine players that ended up on our roster as of today. So, seeing that plan come to life, being executed in the way that it was, certainly something that at this point in time, I'm proud of."

Among those, Lewis, Mekari, Murray and Brown project as players who will likely start. In Brown's case, that situation feels more fluid at this point, but he's expected to be a significant contributor regardless of if he's on the field first or not to start the season.

Jaguars turn to NFL Draft after 'floor-raising' free agency class

Gladstone has often used the phrases "ecosystem" and "raising the floor" among others to describe the team and what they are planning. He also offered up why this group of nine was important to bring in.

"I think you've heard me say the phrase ‘intangibly rich’ quite a few times, right? That was no different in our approach to pro-free agency," said Gladstone.

"It was no different to who it was that we were prioritizing and we sat down with each of those players individually here today, and that sentiment and what we knew them to be, whether it was speaking to us on the film or in our sourced information behind the scenes, these guys are built right and by being nothing more than who they are, we can feel that they're going to level us up.”

But what's next?

The Jaguars currently hold 10 draft picks in this year's draft and 11 in next year's draft. While they have money to spare in free agency still, their attention will not center around the upcoming NFL Draft.

Jacksonville Jaguars mock draft: Whom will team pick in first 3 rounds of NFL Draft?

“That’s my experience most recently with the Los Angeles Rams and that’s something I feel I have a unique capacity to take on with the current position that we hold, which is 10 picks this year, 11 picks next year," Gladstone said.

"So, with pro-free agency, we wanted to set ourselves up so that we feel like we have the flexibility to address any position we want to at any pick point that lies on the horizon and it feels like we’re currently in a position to do just that.”

Though the Rams have been noted in the past as a franchise that doesn't value draft picks, their actions suggest otherwise, especially lately.

The Rams selected 10 players in the 2024 NFL Draft, including four in the first three rounds. Despite not having a first-round pick during the 2023 draft, the Rams took 14 players, the most of any team that season.

Though Jacksonville didn't fill literally every hole they had on the roster, particularly on the defensive line, Gladstone suggested Thursday that rookies will play significant roles, and they don't want a veteran standing in the way of that.

“Yeah, we’ve got 10 picks in this year's draft. We're going to have to have some spots that are actually open for them to insert. So, if you add a veteran at this point, could be just standing in the way. We're going to allow these rookies to get a chance to get out on the field and help us this coming fall," Gladstone explained.

Jaguars draft picks

Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82 or on Bluesky @ Demetrius .

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