Jacksonville Jaguars GM James Gladstone: NFL free agency approach 'very disciplined'

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Jacksonville Jaguars GM James Gladstone: NFL free agency approach 'very disciplined'

Demetrius Harvey, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union · The Florida Times-Union

Thu, Mar 13, 2025 ·

6 min read

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The Jacksonville Jaguars had nine targets in mind ahead of free agency and landed all of them during the early portions of the legal negotiation period on Monday.

Jaguars general manager James Gladstone also told local reporters Thursday that he's proud of the work the franchise has accomplished over the last few days, executing the vision they had entering free agency.

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"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, but I can't wait for these players to engage with the rest of the team, get out on the grass in the fall because it's not the off season that we're looking to win from a perception standpoint," Gladstone said.

"We're looking to win football games this fall and can't wait for the next phase of this in the draft to truly see what the shape of the roster is going to look like and then get everybody out on the grass together here later in the spring."

The team signed:

Jacksonville didn't spend a ton this cycle. The highest-priced free agent the team signed was Mekari at $37.5 million over four years. For context, Jacksonville gave out contracts worth $39 million (receiver Gabe Davis ) and $43.5 million (defensive end Arik Armstead ) last offseason, a year where the team needed to invest heavily to succeed.

The build in Jacksonville this time around is intentional, without going overboard.

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"We were very disciplined in our approach and how we spent this offseason," said Gladstone.

'Intangibly rich' players will impact Jaguars right away

Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone spoke with media on Thursday from the Miller Electric Center.

Jacksonville's pointed process to acquire the nine players they did centered around Gladstone and the team's, feeling that the team's roster's floor needed to be raised.

"And every player that we pursued and that we've now acquired is meeting that standard. By being nothing more than who they are and who we know them to be, both on and off the field, they're going to do exactly what we would hope they'd do and that's level up this ecosystem," said Gladstone.

The swiftness in which Jacksonville operated during free agency signaled to the rest of the league and observers that they had a plan to execute and did it.

What ultimately drew the team and Gladstone to these players beyond the fact that they should "level" the team up, is that they are "built right."

"Yeah, 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."

Gladstone has emphasized in the past that he wants players to be who they are and because of that, they'll make the team better.

Jaguars prioritize offensive line, protecting Trevor Lawrence in free agency

Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was pressured by the Bills defense breaking through the Jaguars offense line during the second half at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Sept. 23, 2024. Closing in on Lawrence are Bills DaQuan Jones and Greg Rousseau.

Jacksonville entered free agency with a mandate to address the protection in front of quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Right guard Brandon Scherff won't be back, hitting the open market in free agency and center Mitch Morse retired.

The Jaguars signed two players — Mekari and Hainsey — who are expected to replace Scherff and Morse, respectively. The team also signed a sixth offensive lineman, offensive tackle Chuma Edoga .

The additions, Gladstone said Thursday set the standard for what the team is trying to accomplish. Bringing in three players at that position group, the most among any group in Jaguars free agency, can help the franchise move forward with their plans for the NFL Draft without having a clear hole on the front.

Still, Gladstone did not rule out an addition during the NFL Draft.

"Clearly, by signing three of those players and that being the most at any one position over the course of the free agent window, we're setting the standard for what we're actually looking to do," said Gladstone.

"And that doesn't count offensive line out of the equation in the draft either, but at the same time, that's another position that does have attrition and throughout the course of a season, so we'll never feel like we've got enough. Go ahead."

The Jaguars currently have (from left to right) these players as projected starters on their offensive line: Walker Little , Ezra Cleveland , Hainsey, Mekari and Anton Harrison .

Eric Murray expected to bring the 'safe' in 'safety'

Jan 11, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey (15) carries the ball defended by Houston Texans safety Eric Murray (23) during the first quarter in an AFC wild card game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

One player Gladstone pointed out as integral to the team's defense next year is Murray, who was signed in part to replace Andre Cisco . Cisco left Jacksonville to join the New York Jets on a one-year deal.

The Jaguars struggled mightily on the backend of the defense, giving up multiple long touchdowns due to busted coverages or poor play. Part of that problem was at the safety position, one that rotated routinely to end the year as the Jaguars tried to find the best players to slot in the roles.

The Jaguars ranked 32nd against the pass, allowing 257.4 passing yards per game.

Murray's expertise on the backend of the team's defense will be relied on this year.

In nine years in the league, Murray has played in 124 games (58 starts) and has accounted for 386 total tackles (269 solos), 24 pass breakups and three interceptions.

Jacksonville's safety room floor was far too low, making Murray one of the team's priorities on Monday.

"I think the defensive backfield, as a whole, has gotten better with the addition of Jourdan and Eric. One of the things between the two of them is that their experience, their stability, it offers exactly what's needed on that back end," said Gladstone.

"When you look at safety in particular, the root word there is 'safe,' and that's exactly what Eric provides. So, we're excited to bring him into the ecosystem and I know he's excited to take on a more notable leadership role than what he's had in previous years."

Murray will give Jacksonville a veteran who can be relied upon but should not preclude them from addressing the position further in the upcoming draft.

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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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars GM James Gladstone explains NFL free agency approach

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