Jaguars' James Gladstone Has Carved Out His Path

The Jacksonville Jaguars knew they were making a big change when they hired general manager James Gladstone in Febuary.

But did they know how big of one? That is tough to say, but it feels unlikely the Jaguars knew just what kind of transformation their franchise was set to undertake under Gladstone.

Simply put, Gladstone put his name -- and the Jaguars' -- on the map last weekend with his franchise-altering trade for Travis Hunter. It took an entire buy-in from the rest of the franchise's leaders like Tony and Shad Khan, head coach Liam Coen, and executive vice president of football operations Tony Boselli.

But for years to come, the Hunter trade will be Gladstone's legacy. If the trade hits and the Jaguars get an All-Pro player like they expect, Gladstone will be seen as one of the true elite general managers in football -- a young and cutting edge executive who operates similar to the other top teams in the NFL, but who still abides by his own principles and philosophies.

This time a year ago, few outside of Los Angeles knew his name. Now, Gladstone is the face of bold moves since his latest move was the most recent and the boldest of them all.

Gladstone has carved out his path. He has done it his way, and he has made it clear what the Jaguars are now looking for on and off the field. He wants versatile players with production and experience, as well as players who are physically and mentally tough enough to handle the ups and downs of the NFL.

For the Jaguars, this is truly a new era. The Travis Hunter trade is perhaps the most aggressive move the franchise has ever made, and it will truly define Gladstone's tenure as the Jaguars' top front office decision-maker.

Only time will tell if Gladstone and the Jaguars were right to make the move up for Hunter. But it doesn't take any time to know that the Jaguars are now viewed much differently throughout the entire NFL, and Gladstone and his new path being forged forward are amongst the biggest reasons why this is the case.