(On his expectations for the NFL Scouting Combine this week) “Well, first and foremost, super excited to be here. I mean, it’s been a couple of years since I’ve been able to get here. This has been a great opportunity for our staff to really kind of get in the weeds with each other. We just really kind of finalized this staff, and it’s been a great op [opportunity] for us to be able to get into the weeds. We’re really just working from Indy. We’ve taken our whole process, what we would be doing in Jacksonville right now, and taken that to Indy. We’re doing, obviously, some of the free agent meetings, going through the draft, and then also, obviously, doing some schemes, some football, and getting with the coaches. So, it’s been a great transition so far and really kind of—we’re really happy to be here.”
(On what he saw from Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving’s rookie campaign) “There’s not many better people than Bucky in terms of the way his process went. I mean, he was one of the first guys in the building, 5 a.m. meeting with [Buccaneers Senior Offensive Assistant] Tom Moore on our staff in terms of just getting some of that experience. He was one of the last guys to leave. So, you saw a player that was already mature beyond his years, and then, OK, he comes in and has the impact that he had both in the run, the pass, got much better in the pass protection as the year went on, dynamic in space. Just have so much respect for Bucky, both as a competitor and as a person. Wish him nothing but the best, and hopefully, we can continue to get some of that production out of the guys we have because there are a lot of similarities there.”
(On balancing having patience with a quarterback versus knowing when to move on) “Wow, that’s a great one. The time—you look at these quarterbacks specifically coming out in the last few years. Well, you’re in Pop Warner football and you’re in a no-huddle shotgun system, and then you’re in high school and you’re in a no-huddle shotgun system. OK, you go to college, that may have been the case. We’ve got to have patience with these guys because the communication piece that you miss with the no-huddle offenses, not to knock it, it’s just, hey, we have to take that into consideration when we’re going through the longevity of a quarterback’s career. I think when you’re ready to move on, I think it’s pretty
clear to a lot of people in terms of the building, the staff, the players. If the clip has fallen off, it’s typically something you can see with the naked eye, but it’s more the development, the fundamentals, the technique. If that’s all still there, then you can continue to win with that player.”
(On experiencing multiple quarterback injuries in 2022, and how that has influenced how he builds his scheme) “That’s a great question because it really came up last year in a different way. We were decimated in ’22. Last year, we lose two of our best receivers in Tampa and credit the process to just kind of, hey, put our heads down. It’s our job as coaches to go play with the players that we have and be able to pivot. That was the learning experience that we had there, that we have to be able to pivot, be able to supplement that production, maybe with a different group of players. It might be Mike [Buccaneers WR Mike Evans] and Chris’s [Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin] production, and ended up having to become a little bit more developed through the running back room, the tight end room. Obviously, the quarterback being able to play off-schedule. So, we learned so much from that year, and it was really just, do we have the ability to pivot and be able to kind of supplement some of that production through different avenues and different players?”
(On what Offensive Coordinator Grant Udinski brings to the offense) “Yeah, Grant’s a guy that I’ve followed now for the last few years, obviously being very close with Kevin [Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell] in that process, understanding that it’s a similar process, and the way we do things, the way that we want to operate, the things that we’re looking for throughout the work week, getting ahead of those things. He’s an elite communicator, really obviously high-level intelligence, football IQ. He’s all ball. Grant is all ball, no ego, rides around in the Honda CR-V and just wants to live as close to the building as he can. That’s what’s always stood out, is the ability, his passion for the game, and all you’ve ever heard is positive things about him. You see in this past cycle, how much he got and how much he was in. There was no surprise to me there.”
(On WR Brian Thomas Jr.’s versatility and what he can bring to the offense) “Yeah, that’s a great one. He’s so dynamic, being able to move him around, where you saw him at LSU, maybe not do some of those things, right? Where he was mostly outside, running more linear routes, vertical posts, some overs and then the stop. So, the ability for him to snap down, get in the slot, be able to run some of the choice routes, looky routes, and then, oh, by the way, you can throw him a screen and he can go do something with it. Our pass game will run through him, and super excited to get to work with him.”
(On working with Detroit Lions Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach Kacy Rodgers in Tampa Bay last season) “I have a ton of respect for Kacy, first and foremost, as a man, as a leader. He had phenomenal communication skills within the building, just a ‘steady Eddie,’ really just never too high, never too low. I know there was a ton of respect in that room for him, and then just up front, I mean, he’s done a nice job over the course of the last few years, and having to, again, pivot with some injuries that we did have at the position up front. I think Kacy’s going to do a really good job in Detroit.”
(On how much he will seek QB Trevor Lawrence’s input on building the roster) “Absolutely. We want to have Trevor’s input. He is our guy. He’s the franchise, and as much as we can involve him in the process without maybe putting too much on his plate, he’s a new father, now a husband, he’s just getting into it. But he’s hungry. He’s hungry. He wants to be playing at the highest level possible, and how do we include him in some of those conversations, specifically with some of the skill players and obviously on the offensive line. So, he will definitely be involved in some of that while just being mindful of not putting too much on him, because he’s going to be learning a completely new system and having to go through a new transition again.”
(On how he compares Lawrence to Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield) “Different player, right? A little bit of a different player, but when you look at the experience of kind of pivoting in a developmental stage, where Baker was at a pivotal moment after he left L.A. in ’22 and went to Tampa in ’23, right? I thought Dave [Carolina Panthers Head Coach/former Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator Dave Canales] did a phenomenal job of really kind of onboarding him, getting his confidence back, allowing Baker to truly be himself. Then, you get into, OK, the next year in the system, it’s a similar one that Dave was running, so there was a little bit more familiarity there. The development of Baker will be different than Trevor. It just will be because of the different type of player, but you see a lot of the same intangibles in terms of the work ethic, the ‘want to;’ he wants to be great, he wants to be coached hard, and the process, like how do we get him on a schedule, a process every single day that he can follow to get him to the point that he feels like he’s playing at a higher level?”
(On Josh Grizzard being promoted to Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator) “Yeah, Josh is going to do a phenomenal job. He’s got a really unique way about him to be able to connect with a lot of different people, coaches, players. He’s got a great sense of humor, but he’s up there in terms of the IQ, the football knowledge, the ability to see it, design it, and also be able to communicate it to the guys. I think he’s primed for this, he’s ready for this, and I think he’s going to do a really nice job.”
(On how his, General Manager James Gladstone and Pass Game Coordinator Shane Waldron’s experiences at the Los Angeles Rams franchise have influenced what they’re trying to build in Jacksonville) “Yeah, very much so. We all came up within that organization. I think there’s a North Star that we are looking at in terms of how do we want to operate, right? Is it going to be identical? No. This is going to be ours. But we can take so many different things that we learned from there, from both personnel, scheme, people, the way that we talk to one another, the way that we communicate and treat one another. I think those are kind of the foundational pieces that we took from L.A., and then now, hey, how do we make it ours, and how do we put this thing all together to truly move forward?”
(On his opinion on the tush push) “I really don’t have a strong opinion, I’ll be honest. I haven’t had a ton of experience with it. It hasn’t really affected me personally as a coach. It hasn’t won or lost games for me, so I really don’t have a strong opinion. I know that’s out there. I know that’s a conversation. Just haven’t had a lot of experience with it and just don’t have a huge opinion on it right now.”
(On if Lawrence going through multiple coaching regime changes in his career is similar to Mayfield’s experience) “He hasn’t had the stability. That is something that, similar to Baker, you guys asked about in terms of that stability. It’s important, but he’s going to learn so much from his different experiences, right? For good and for bad. He can take those experiences to really dive into this new process. But I think what’s critical is how do we get him to that standard and that structure and that schedule throughout his process once he gets here? So now, we truly focus on him. Not as much, where he’s been, what he’s had. He can take and log those experiences, but now, how do we create a little bit of sameness? Give him a schedule, hey, Mondays, this is what we want. Look for your daily rhythm. Tuesdays within the season with third downs. As we start to move towards the red zone, how do we connect with him to have a schedule? I think that’s the consistency that we’re going to try to create for him.”
(On his opinion on using virtual reality in game preparations) “I actually had a not-so positive experience with one. I ended up going into one at Kentucky and got a little bit looped out while I was in there. It kind of made me a little physically ill. It’s cool though. I think it’s to each his own, really. I really believe that if that’s something that’s going to help our guys and you want to make that tool available, we have the benefit of being kind of at the forefront of some of those things with T.K., [Chief Football Strategy Officer] Tony Khan, and Shad [Owner Shad Khan] wanting to be able to provide every opportunity that we can have. I don’t have a very strong opinion on it, but I do think it’s something I’d be open to for sure. We have kind of a virtual walkthrough room in Jacksonville that I’ve never had in any of the buildings I’ve been in. So, I’m really excited about kind of being able to utilize some of those rooms, get into that for some of the VR training, but not maybe with the goggles on.”
(On the benefits of having a younger coaching staff, and who he leans on in unfamiliar situations) “Yeah, hunger. Hunger. Want to. Guys that are trying to prove it. Guys that want to continue to ascend throughout the profession. I think that we have plenty of experience to get this thing done. I believe in the staff that we built. I’ve got [L.A. Rams Head Coach] Sean McVay, I’ve got Kevin O’Connell, I’ve got a lot of guys that we can go and call in times of crisis that are going to be more than welcome to some of those conversations. Then, you’ve got experience throughout the staff and we do have experience. We have a lot of guys that have been in the trenches in some really productive organizations. There’s not one coach that we hired that didn’t have another opportunity.”
(On if he’s a wrestling fan and if he’s ever talked to Tony Khan about All Elite Wrestling) “Actually, T.K. and I were just talking about this a couple of days ago, just how that ended up coming for him. He was a fan of wrestling his entire career. I was an Ultimate Warrior fan, although I did not look the part by any means. (Laughter). I was a fan. I have a ton of respect for it. It’s entertainment, it’s athleticism. He’s got a strong passion for it and just hope it continues for him. I know they just signed a new deal, I think, or something that would be able to kind of get some more buzz, but it seems like it’s going in the right direction. I’m excited for him.”
(On if he would ever step foot in the wrestling ring) “Absolutely not. My time is well past.”
(On adapting to the different talent at his previous coaching stops) “It’s what you said. It’s the adaptability, right? We will have a core foundation and principles of how we want to operate, right? Our modes of operation, the way that our culture is going to be set, the non negotiables. That’s the foundation of what we believe, but like I’ve said in multiple different conversations, it’s about players not plays. We have the core principles and how we want to play our style of play, but ultimately it’s our job to pivot and be able to adapt to players, especially when it comes to the Draft, because you want to be able to fill your holes, but also take the best players available, and it’s our job to be able to adapt to some of those players.”
(On wanting to work with Waldron) “Yeah, so Shane got me into this profession, right? So, Shane was somebody that Sean McVay leaned on heavily when he took the first job in L.A. That was one of his first hires and brought Shane there. Had unbelievable experience,
obviously working in New England in prior years, has won Super Bowls, has been at a high level for a long time. He’s got a great kind of overall big picture, all 11, extreme kind of situational football ideas going from Coach Belichick [former Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick] and the Patriots system. He’ll be great for big-picture ideas and be able to, hey, how do we tie in some of these things? And also, some of the developmental pieces within the coaching staff.”
(On if he’s concerned about Waldron’s experience in Chicago last season) “Zero. Zero.”
(On if the college transfer portal or NIL has affected players readiness) “I don’t know if it’s the readiness, but it’s definitely something we have to be aware of, right? It’s not going anywhere and it’s absolutely something that we have to be aware of when it comes to how do we onboard our players. The individual development program that we have, whether it’s through strength, the athletic training, the coaching staff, the personnel. It’s the onboarding process that we have to be really detailed about and make sure that we’re vetting the right players, right? Why did they move? Why were they going from place to place? A lot of guys are just trying to climb and go get better for themselves. So, it’s more about the onboarding process and really kind of how do we evaluate these players, not more so where they’ve been.”
GENERAL MANAGER JAMES GLADSTONE
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2025
(On working with Lions General Manager Brad Holmes with the Los Angeles Rams) “I did
have the chance to work with Brad. He was the college director when I first joined as Les’
[Rams General Manager Les Snead] assistant and learned a ton from him really just about
the landscape of scouting from the bottom all the way to the finished product. There are
absolutely some things I’ll carry forward from him knowing that he’s had a lot of success in
Detroit. He’s leaned into a lot of the things that we’ve already begun preaching as a part of
what we’ll prioritize in players and making it so that top of mind is intangibles, and we’ll
remain rooted in that moving forward.”
(On where he’s living right now) “Currently I’m living in Indianapolis, and then I will return to
Jacksonville here in a handful of days and start looking for a new home that’s a little bit
more permanent. But my wife is in fact pregnant, and she is due at the end of May, so we’ve
got about a 30-day travel window before we can work with here to bring it all to life. So,
there’s a shot clock, for sure.”
(On what he looks for when interviewing players) “That’s a great question. I think at this
stage of the game, we’re rooting ourselves in the film and getting a better understanding of
what they can draw from their own tape and articulate for us. And then working in some of
our own terminology and seeing how fast they can pick that up. Obviously, in the 20-minute
conversation, you’re not necessarily going to know the entire human being and you
probably don’t want to weight too much stock knowing that these guys were up late, and
they’ve got a full slate in front of them. Whether you’re seeing the best or worst of them is to
be determined, so certainly leave it open-ended even as they exit the room.”
(On what he thinks he’ll get out of the Combine this year given the fact that the Rams don’t
often attend) “So, with that, I haven’t been to the Combine since 2019, but there’s an
extreme value to the Combine and the event that’s put forward. Now, with that, I think the
fact that we’re a new coaching staff, a new general manager working with our scouting
staff, this is a great opportunity for an offsite and just building some of the connective
tissue that otherwise wouldn’t necessarily exist because we’d just be in our normal mode
of operation in Jacksonville. So, we’re already meeting today, tomorrow and beyond with
our pro scouting staff and our coaching staff working through the initial conversations
around our roster as well as the pro-free agent landscape while also working in some of the
conversations that are specific to the Draft. So, it’s a great dynamic at this stage and really
looking forward to more that comes with the rest of the week.”
(On what kind of coach he thinks Head Coach Liam Coen is and what players can expect
from him) “He’s an elite communicator and I think that bridges a lot of gaps. But when it
comes to his offensive philosophy, the marriage between the run and the pass, the
multiplicity of the screen game, the variety of the run game, he gives this team a notable
edge and I think that’s something everybody’s going to appreciate.”
(On an area of the Draft he can put his staff on due to joining late in the process) “I don’t
think the timing is going to impact it at all. I do think that the disciplined approach to
prioritizing the things that you’ve probably heard me say over and over at this point is going
to be something that I think everybody is going to appreciate, both players, coaches and
staff.”
(On the Commanders embracing virtual reality and if that’s something he will look into
using to aid evaluations) “That’s a fair question. I haven’t put a lot of thought into it. I think
that’s probably more rooted in what our players and coaches would say that they would
prefer to use. And so, if that ever comes to life and shows itself, we’re certainly going to
pursue those options.”
(On what he likes about this year’s draft class) “I like it all.”
(On Jacksonville’s chain of command and how he envisions it during the Draft and the
season) “One of the most alluring and intriguing pieces to this opportunity was the fact that
the leadership group and the dynamic actually mirrors what I’m most familiar with in Los
Angeles, so it’s one that I could see a clear visual for finding success. So, really excited
about the opportunity to work with Tony [Executive Vice President of Football Operations
Tony Boselli] and Liam and support both of them, and bring Liam’s vision to life here in
these next few weeks and into the later portion of spring through the Draft.”
(On the difficulty of handling upcoming free agency having just joined the organization) “It’s
really no different from a timeline standpoint. During this week, if we were with the Rams,
we’d be having pro-free agent dialogue. That’s what we’re currently doing with the Jaguars.
So, there’s no real difference on that front. Now, in terms of what you may say is me getting
up to speed, I’m going to calibrate my own mode of operation to the Jaguars’ current mode
of operation. One person changing rather than a large group changing in the immediate
mode is going to be a little bit more efficient and less disruptive. I think adaptability is
certainly a key trait that any leader or person in this space is going to have to embrace, and
that’s one I look forward to deploying so that our entire group actually sees that in action.
And really just looking forward to learning, right? Because I’ve only known it through the
lens that I’ve experienced, so I really look forward to getting an opportunity to digest a
different way of moving about business.”
(On another lens that he’s excited about) “Another lens? I don’t know. Do I say the word too
much?”
(On what he’s learned from Snead in terms of roster construction and what he’ll bring with
him to Jacksonville) “Where it stands right now, I think we’ll prioritize positions that really
are across the front both offensively and defensively and those that put points on the
board. That’s where my mind goes when you ask a question like that. Beyond it, we’ll
continue to round out.”
(On how he views the youth of the Jaguars’ leadership) “I think I view it as a key strength
because really I have a fresh perspective, and I think that’s also the case for both Liam and
Tony. Through my own experiences, I feel like I have a deep understanding of really the tools
and modern mechanisms that are revolutionizing the sport. So, I don’t ever view the
number of years that I’ve had on planet Earth as a limitation. Just my preferred way of
moving is one that I think can bring a dynamic asset and an edge over the competition.”
(On the team’s talent not being reflective of last season’s record) “Yeah, I think that the
talent that exists on this team is better than that record. Look forward to bringing that to life
and we’re going to elevate the floor of the roster immediately.”
(On QB Trevor Lawrence’s strengths and his untapped potential) “Yeah, I don’t think we’ve
seen the best of Trevor. I’m really excited for Liam to get a chance to work with him, support
him and really bring the tools that he has in his arsenal to life. I think it starts by the
protection, right? Making sure that he feels like he’s got as much time to work with as
possible and also that he’s comfortable with the pass catchers. So, I think through that
lens, he’s going to feel that change in both the operation schematically and then the
personnel that we invite into the building.”
(On talks surrounding potentially trading WR Christian Kirk) “No, I wouldn’t say that. We’re
just starting the conversations about our own current roster across both scouting and
coaching staff as well as working in pro-free agent-related dialogue. So, at this point in
time, I can say that we’re happy to have Christian.”
(On his favorite part of the pre-Draft process) “I would say being in the bunker with the
crew. I think through that, building connective tissue, creating a team dynamic that you can
be really proud of, that’s one of the most fulfilling elements.”
(On if he had a pre-existing relationship with President Mark Lamping as St. Louis natives)
“It actually wasn’t until I began the process, and Mark made the initial call that we tied that
together. So, it was a pleasant surprise and one certainly we leaned into after that. But no, I
didn’t. I was unfamiliar. Now, my dad, right? So, he’s a former high school teacher and
football coach, second generation, and he really sparked my interest in the sport and also
becoming a teacher. So, I was rooted in my high school from a young age, actually wanted
to return there and my dream was to be the head coach there just like my dad, eventually
become the athletic director and one year into that had pivoted to go work with my father
after he came out of retirement at another school. Now, very lucky in that the same day
that I arrived on campus, Les Snead and Logan Snead [son of Les Snead] arrived to sign up
for our football program. Now through that, I do remember now that I think back, but didn’t
know it at the time, Mark’s name up on the walls throughout Vianney High School [St. John
Vianney High School, St. Louis]. So, it’s flashing back, but was never something that I was
actually aware of even prior or thinking about.”
(On if Lamping made the initial call to him during the interview process) “Yes. Yeah, he was
leading the process and lining up interviews, et cetera. Yeah.”
(On the must-have traits he looks for when evaluating defensive players) “I think the ability
to create disruption is, above all else most important and that type of chaos, it makes it
hard for an offensive operation. I lean into that more than just about anything, and I think
the combination of urgency and explosiveness is something that I certainly prefer.”
(On how Rams OL Jonah Jackson’s injury while in Los Angeles will affect how he
approaches building the offensive line in Jacksonville) “I won’t speak to Jonah exactly
because he’s not on our roster, but I do think that by addressing the interior, that setting the
dish for a quarterback is something that can be really helpful to their success.”
(On if the resurgence of the run game is going to continue to be a trend) “It certainly feels
like it’s a shift. It’s certainly going to be something that we prioritize. You can see the
success that Liam had last year in the running game. It’s certainly something we value.”
(On what he attributes that resurgence to) “I think that the landscape of the NFL is ever
evolving and you’re always finding ways to maybe exploit some inefficiencies on the
opposite side of the football and that might be something that is showing itself here for
people.”
(On his opinion of the running back class in this year’s Draft) “I think it’s a very deep
running back class.”
(On if he will look into drafting a pair of defenders from the same school as the Rams have
in the past) “I definitely think there’s merit to that. I think that building on that type of
momentum makes life easy. It makes it so that there’s an immediate impact. Anybody
that’s doing something alone, it’s usually a little easier when you’re working in combination
with somebody that you’re aligned with and know you can work off of. So, it’ll definitely be
something if the opportunity ever presents itself that we would love to bring to life in
different ways.”
(On what he envisions for Jacksonville’s defense this year) “We’ll be an urgent and
explosive bunch on defense. It’ll certainly be a shift from what our fans probably saw last
year.”
(On what he’s looking forward to seeing from TE Brenton Strange) “Yeah, really excited
about his ascension in year two and I think he’ll have a part in the offense moving forward in
a way that we haven’t seen yet.”
