Los Angeles Rams Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Jaguars Interview James Gladstone For GM, Schedule Meeting With Jon Robinson

February 12th, 2025 at 4:54pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Jaguars’ general manager search process continued apace on Wednesday with an interview of Rams director of scouting strategy James Gladstone, per a team announcement. Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown interviewed for the job earlier in the day.

Gladstone has spent eight seasons with the Rams and overlapped with new Jaguars head coach Liam Coen during both of his stints in Los Angeles. As director of scouting strategy, Gladstone oversees the Rams’ pro and college scouting operations. He has helped the team consistently find talented prospects outside of the first round after trading their top picks away for most of his tenure.

The Jaguars also plan to meet with with former Titans general manager Jon Robinson, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz and CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. Robinson interviewed for the Jets’ GM vacancy in December and was considered an early favorite for the Jaguars job shortly after Trent Baalke‘s firing.

Robinson has been out of the NFL since December 2022, when he was fired by the Titans despite a 7-5 start to the year and back-to-back division titles in preceding seasons. He finished with an overall record of 66-48 as general manager, but received little interest in the previous two coaching cycles. Now, Robinson is set to meet with the Jaguars regarding his return to the AFC South.

Here are the rest of Jacksonville’s GM candidates:

Chad Alexander, assistant general manager (Chargers): Interview requested
Brandon Brown, assistant general manager (Giants): Interview requested
Trey Brown, senior personnel executive (Bengals): Interviewed 2/12
Ian Cunningham, assistant general manager (Bears): Interview requested
James Gladstone, director of scouting strategy (Rams): Interviewed 2/12
Terrance Gray, vice president of player personnel (Bills): To interview 2/12
Mike Greenberg, assistant general manager (Buccaneers): Declined interview
Jon Robinson, former general manager (Titans): Interview scheduled
Josh Williams, director of scouting and football operations (49ers): Interviewed 2/11

Coaching Notes: Shimko, Cowboys, Rams, Giants

February 10th, 2025 at 8:03pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cowboys continue to refine their offensive coaching staff. ESPN’s Todd Archer reports that the Cowboys will name Steve Shimko as their new quarterbacks coach.

After most recently serving as a Cowboys offensive assistant, Shimko is one of the main holdovers on Brian Schottenheimer‘s new staff. However, Shimko is plenty familiar with his new boss, as the two worked alongside each other in Seattle before reuniting in Dallas last year.

During that Seahawks stint, Shimko worked his way up from an offensive analyst into an assistant QBs coach. He left for Boston College in 2020, where he climbed the ranks from tight ends coach to quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator. He only had a one-year stint in that latter role before Bill O’Brien brought on a new staff.

Shimko will be replacing Scott Tolzien, who spent two years coaching Dak Prescott and the Cowboys quarterbacks.

More coaching notes from around the NFL…

Carlos Polk lost out on the Cowboys ST coordinator gig, but he’ll still land in Dallas as the team’s assistant special teams coach under Nick Sorensen, per Archer. Polk held this same role with the Cowboys in 2019, and he’s since held that title with the Jaguars (2021) and Bears (2022-2024). The former NFL linebacker has also had coaching stints with the Chargers and Buccaneers.
After losing Nick Caley to Houston, the Rams have found their new tight ends coach. The team has hired Scott Huff to lead the position grouping, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Huff had coaching stints at the University of Washington and Boise State before catching on with the Seahawks, where he spent last season coaching the offensive line. In Los Angeles, the coach will be responsible for a depth chart that’s currently led by Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson.
The Giants have added Chad Hall to their staff as an assistant quarterbacks coach, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Hall will reunite with Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen, as the trio worked alongside each other during their stints in Buffalo. A former NFL wide receiver, Hall coached that position with the Bills and Jaguars, but after eight years working up the ranks, he is now pivoting to the quarterbacks room.
Adam Morris has accepted a job as the Browns assistant defensive line coach, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. This is the coach’s first foray into the NFL, as he previously held jobs at Ball State, Eastern Illinois, and (most recently) the University at Buffalo. In that latter stop, Morris served as the defensive line coach/run game coordinator.

Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order

February 10th, 2025 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

With Super Bowl LIX in the books, the 2024 campaign has come to a close. The final first-round order for April’s draft is now set as a result.

All 32 teams currently own a Day 1 selection, leaving the door open to each one adding a prospect in the first round for the first time since expansion in 2002. Any number of trades will no doubt take place between now and the draft, though, and it will be interesting to see how teams maneuver in the lead-in to the event. Of course, Tennessee in particular will be worth watching closely with a move to sell off the No. 1 pick being seen as a distinct possibility.

A weak quarterback class will leave teams like the Titans, Browns, Giants and Raiders with plenty of key offseason decisions. The free agent and trade markets do not offer many short-term alternatives which are seen as surefire additions, and teams which do not make moves in March will rely on the incoming group of rookies as part of their efforts to find a long-term solution under center. The two prospects seen as the clear-cut top options in 2025, however, are two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter and Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2024 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.

Here is a final look at the first-round order:

Tennessee Titans (3-14)
Cleveland Browns (3-14)
New York Giants (3-14)
New England Patriots (4-13)
Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13)
Las Vegas Raiders (4-13)
New York Jets (5-12)
Carolina Panthers (5-12)
New Orleans Saints (5-12)
Chicago Bears (5-12)
San Francisco 49ers (6-11)
Dallas Cowboys (7-10)
Miami Dolphins (8-9)
Indianapolis Colts (8-9)
Atlanta Falcons (8-9)
Arizona Cardinals (8-9)
Cincinnati Bengals (9-8)
Seattle Seahawks (10-7)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7)
Denver Broncos (10-7)
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
Green Bay Packers (11-6)
Minnesota Vikings (14-3)
Houston Texans (10-7)
Los Angeles Rams (10-7)
Baltimore Ravens (12-5)
Detroit Lions (15-2)
Washington Commanders (12-5)
Buffalo Bills (13-4)
Kansas City Chiefs (15-2)
Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)

Davante Adams “Intrigued” By Move To West Coast; Jets Have Not Been In Contact

February 8th, 2025 at 10:43pm CST by Ben Levine

10:43pm: Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirms a move out west will be something to watch for in the event Adams is released (video link). Notably, he adds the new Jets regime of general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn has not yet been in contact with Adams’ camp about a potential restructured deal. Until discussions on that front take place, this situation will be filled with uncertainty.

11:12am: Davante Adams has been generally noncommittal about a return to the Jets. The star receiver’s contract allows him to effectively control his own destiny, and if he wishes to move on from New York, he may be eyeing a move west.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Adams is “intrigued” by a move to the west coast, with a source specifically pointing to the Rams and Chargers as an option. Fowler also adds the 49ers as a potential suitor, noting Adams’ connection to Northern California.

Adams’ two-plus season stint in Las Vegas ended this past season when he was traded to the Jets. Despite teaming up with old friend Aaron Rodgers, things obviously didn’t go as planned. The Jets went 3-8 when Adams was in the lineup, and the veteran ended up finishing with his fewest yards from scrimmage since the 2019 campaign. Following the season, Adams admitted he “would love to be a part of this football team,” although he cautioned that a number of factors would come into play (including the status of Rodgers).

While Adams is technically signed through the 2026 season, he has the ability to push his way out of New York. The Jets previously restructured the wideout’s 2024 salary without touching his 2025 and 2026 figures, leaving untenable base salaries of $35.6MM for each of the next two seasons. If the Jets want to keep Adams, they’ll surely require another restructured deal to keep the wideout on the books. If the receiver decides he wants out, he could simply decline the inevitable restructure request, which would ultimately lead to his release.

Considering Adams’ track record, he wouldn’t have a lack of suitors should he hit free agency, and each of the cited teams could make sense. The Rams are looking to move on from Cooper Kupp, which would open a significant spot in their receivers room opposite Puka Nacua. Kupp’s health concerns have surely played a role in the Rams’ decision to move on, although the team is also making it clear that they’re not looking to pay $20MM for a veteran WR.

The Chargers got a standout season from rookie Ladd McConkey, but there are questions behind their young wide receiver. Former first-round pick Quentin Johnston is still under contract, but the second-year player struggled with drops and inconsistency in 2024. Much of the rest of the team’s depth chart, which includes the likes of Josh Palmer, DJ Chark, and Simi Fehoko, are set to hit free agency, so the team could be in the market for another notable pass catcher.

The 49ers are loaded with pass catchers. Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and Jauan Jennings are attached to veteran pacts, and the team added a pair of rookies last year in first rounder Ricky Pearsall and fourth rounder Jacob Cowing (not to mention tight end George Kittle, who led the team in receiving yards). The organization has shown an ability to juggle multiple offensive stars, but an Adams acquisition would surely push another big name off the roster.

NFC West Notes: Rams, Seahawks, Cards

February 6th, 2025 at 9:32pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Rams are hiring former Ravens, Giants, and Patriots defensive assistant Drew Wilkins as their next defensive pass-game coordinator, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Wilkins started out as an intern in Baltimore in 2011 and worked his way up John Harbaugh‘s staff. When Don ‘Wink’ Martindale took over as defensive coordinator in 2018, he promoted Wilkins to outside linebackers coach. The Ravens parted ways with Martindale in 2022, and Wilkins followed his mentor to the Giants, where he continued in the same position. However, Wilkins did not follow Martindale to Michigan in 2024, instead choosing to join Jerod Mayo‘s staff in New England.

Like Martindale, Wilkins is known for his blitz packages that prioritized pressure over sacks. In his seven seasons coaching outside linebackers, only one reached double-digit sacks in a season (Kayvon Thibodeaux in 2023). The Patriots’ pass rush struggled under Wilkins in 2024, but he will have access to a more talented defensive line in Los Angeles. Wilkins will seek to get the most out of the Rams’ young, athletic quartet of Kobie Turner, Jared Verse, Byron Young, and Braden Fiske.

Fiske left the Rams’ divisional-round loss with a knee injury that will require surgery, per ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. However, head coach Sean McVay told media that it would be a “minor procedure” that “won’t affect his ability to be ready for next year.”
Mike Macdonald made a few hires heading into his second year as the Seahawks‘ head coach. Andrew Janocko will join Seattle as their quarterbacks coach, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. This will be Janocko’s third stint as quarterbacks coach under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. The two first coached together in Minnesota in 2021 and reunited in New Orleans last year, where they were joined by offensive line coach John Benton. Benton is also set to follow Kubiak to Seattle, according to Pelissero, where he will look to improve an offensive line that allowed 54 sacks in 2024, the third-most in the NFL.
Kubiak will not be bringing in his own wide receivers coach; incumbent Frisman Jackson will be retained, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. After a disappointing rookie year from 2023 first-rounder Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jackson joined the staff coached the former Ohio State star to 100 receptions and 1,130 receiving yards in 2024.
The Cardinals hired Cowboys assistant defensive backs coach Cristian Garcia to be their next inside linebackers coach, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. Dallas was hoping to retain Garcia, but he opted to take a promotion on Jonathan Gannon‘s staff.

Texans Announce New President, Other Staff Updates

February 5th, 2025 at 8:31pm CST by Ely Allen

About two weeks ago, the Texans announced that they were parting ways with team president Greg Grissom after 23 years with the franchise. It didn’t take long for Houston to identify his replacement, announcing early the following week that Mike Tomon would be stepping into the role.

Tomon was a 2015 winner of the Sports Business Journal’s “40 under 40” award and was recognized as a Top 500 Business Leader by Dallas Magazine in 2024. Before all that, Tomon held senior roles with three NBA franchises (the Cleveland Cavaliers, Charlotte Bobcats, and Phoenix Suns) with a focus on premium ticketing, partnerships, and strategy, before serving as senior vice president of global partnerships at AEG. All of this led to his addition to Legends in 2014.

At Legends, where Tomon most recently served as co-president & chief operating officer, he was responsible for global operations, including domestic and international revenue generation. His time at Legends saw the company establish partnerships with soccer brands Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and FIFA, as well as the Rugby World Cup. He’s also been involved in commercial engagements for NFL venues like SoFi Stadium, Allegiant Stadium, Highmark Stadium, and The Star in Frisco. He also lent a hand with the 2024 Olympics in Paris and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Tomon’s myriad business experience will serve him well in his new role atop the team’s business operations. As team president, Tomon will be tasked with overseeing the direction and management of said operations, specifically with marketing, communications, broadcasting, ticket sales and services, event services, corporate sponsorship, community relations, accounting, legal, human resources, and general administration.

In addition to the announcement of their new team president, Ian Rapoport reported yesterday that assistant offensive line coach Cole Popovich has been promoted to offensive line coach and run game coordinator. This was a predictable outcome following the team’s firing of former offensive line coach Chris Strausser. Popovich had drawn offensive line coach interest a year ago from other teams, but the Texans were able to hold on to him as assistant offensive line coach with a “revamped contract.”

Lastly, we saw news yesterday from Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 that Rams senior offensive assistant Jerry Schuplinski is expected to be hired by Houston. Schuplinski is most notably known as a former assistant quarterbacks coach with the Patriots over Tom Brady. Since leaving New England, Schuplinski has bounced around with time as the Dolphins assistant quarterbacks coach, the Giants quarterbacks coach, and the Raiders tight ends coach before landing in Los Angeles last year. His experience could be valuable to a talented, young offensive group in Houston.

Pass Game Specialist Nate Scheelhaase Sticking With Rams

February 5th, 2025 at 6:45pm CST by Ben Levine

Nate Scheelhaase is sticking in Los Angeles. After drawing strong interest for the Jaguars offensive coordinator job, the pass game specialist is staying with the Rams, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes that Scheelhaase is expected to see an expanded role during his second season with the team.

Scheelhaase has already seen a rapid rise through the NFL ranks. Following a long stint at Iowa State that culminated in him being named OC, he joined the Rams last offseason as their new pass game specialist. Despite injuries to Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, the Rams passing offense still finished 2024 ranked in the top 10, and the 34-year-old started drawing some interest for promotions.

The offensive-minded coach was an option in Tampa Bay, and he was later recruited by former Rams assistant Liam Coen in Jacksonville. The last we heard, he was the favorite for that Jaguars job, where he would have been tasked with guiding the Trevor Lawrence-led offense. Now, Coen will have to pivot to his other candidates, a grouping that only consists of Commanders QBs coach Tavita Pritchard and Vikings assistant QBs coach Grant Udinski.

This news must also come as a relief to Sean McVay, who already lost one key member of his offensive staff when TEs coach Nick Caley was hired to lead the Texans offense. QBs coach Dave Ragone was also a candidate for the Buccaneers OC job, but the Rams can rest easy knowing only one member of their staff was poached this offseason.

Rams Willing To Eat Money In Kupp Trade

February 4th, 2025 at 10:50pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

In their search for a Cooper Kupp trade partner, the Rams are willing to eat some of the money remaining on the star wide receiver’s contract, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Kupp is set to earn $20MM in 2025, made up of $12.5MM in base salary and a $7.5MM 90-man roster bonus due on March 17, per OverTheCap. $5MM of that roster bonus became fully guaranteed in 2024.

A pre-June 1 trade would already require the Rams to absorb the remaining prorations of Kupp’s signing bonus as a $17.26MM dead cap hit in 2025. That would allow them to pursue other needs in free agency with additional capital in this year’s draft.

Waiting until after June 1 would allow the Rams to push $7.48MM of dead money to 2026, but they would then also be responsible for Kupp’s 2025 roster bonus, essentially making the deferment a wash. The delay would also cost them 2025 draft capital in addition to the opportunity to sign top free agents in March.

Accordingly, the Rams would rather get a trade done before the new league year starts, explaining their willingness to absorb even more of Kupp’s contract. In the past, the Rams have paid a roster bonus early as a way of eating money to facilitate a trade, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. That would help firm up a market for Kupp, who is expected to have suitors due to his pedigree as a tough, savvy, and versatile playmaker. If the Rams can alleviate the financial burden of acquiring the 31-year-old, his age and recent injuries would be his only remaining concerns. Despite those concerns, Kupp is expected to have suitors, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required).

Kupp’s skillset would make him a fit in almost any NFL offense, but certain teams will make more sense than others. Among them, according to Fowler, are the Steelers, the Commanders, and the Patriots. Pittsburgh were interested at the 2024 trade deadline, while Washington and New England both have plenty of cap space and young passers that would benefit from an experienced, quarterback-friendly receiver like Kupp. The Lions also have enough cap room to absorb his contract as well as Kupp’s former teammate, Jared Goff, under center.

Jaguars Request GM Interview With Rams’ James Gladstone

February 4th, 2025 at 12:08pm CST by Adam La Rose

The list of candidates for the Jaguars’ general manager position continues to grow. Several interview requests went out on Monday, but the team is not done on that front.

Jacksonville hopes to speak with James Gladstone for the GM position, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. He has spent his entire career with the Rams, and he currently holds the position of scouting director. New head coach Liam Coen worked alongside Gladstone during his two stints (2018-20 and 2022) in Los Angeles.

The Rams have produced a strong track record in the draft over recent years, and as Gladstone has worked his way through the ranks he has become a key figure alongside general manager Les Snead. Los Angeles has managed to re-tool on defense in particular over the past two seasons in large part due to the team’s success in the draft. Expectations would be high for the Jaguars in that department if Gladstone were to be hired.

Despite his status as a rookie head coach, Coen is set to have a major role in deciding on Jacksonville’s new GM. The team was set to continue with Trent Baalke in that role until an abrupt change was made immediately before Coen was hired. That move came as little surprise given the extent to which Baalke’s presence turned other candidates off of the position, but it added to the unorthodox nature of the situation. In any case, it will be interesting to see how this Coen-driven process plays out over the near future.

Via PFR’s general manager tracker, here is an updated look at where things stand with Jacksonville:

Chad Alexander, assistant general manager (Chargers): Interview requested
Brandon Brown, assistant general manager (Giants): Interview requested
Trey Brown, senior personnel executive (Bengals): Interview requested
Ian Cunningham, assistant general manager (Bears): Interview requested
James Gladstone, scouting director (Rams): Interview requested
Mike Greenberg, assistant general manager (Buccaneers): Interview requested
Jon Robinson, former general manager (Titans): One of top candidates?

Rams Shopping WR Cooper Kupp

February 3rd, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Ben Levine

Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp is definitively on the trade block. The source? Cooper Kupp himself. The Rams have informed the wideout that they’re “seeking a trade immediately,” Kupp announced tonight.

“I was informed that the team will be seeking a trade immediately and will be working with me and my family to find the right place to continue competing for championship,” Kupp wrote on X. “I don’t agree with the decision and always believed it was going to begin and end in LA.

“Still, if there’s one thing that I have learned over the years: there are so many things that are out of your control, but it is how you respond to these things that you will look back on and remember.

“I have taken so much pride in playing alongside my teammates for the LA community, so thank you for embracing my family and making this such a special place for us.”

While it’s a bit jarring that the Rams are looking to move on from a franchise icon, it’s not completely unfounded. The receiver has clearly been leaped by Puka Nacua on the depth chart, and considering Kupp’s age and contract, there was some belief that he could be playing elsewhere in 2025. Kupp himself acknowledged this after the 2024 campaign when he admitted that he may have played his final game in a Rams uniform.

This also isn’t the first time Kupp has been on the trade block. The organization confirmed that they received calls on Kupp leading up to the trade deadline, and a separate report suggested it was actually the Rams front office that was looking to sell. The team ended up hanging on to the WR for the stretch run when they couldn’t find a squad willing to meet their asking price, which was reportedly compensation that exceeded what the Raiders received for Davante Adams (a conditional third-round pick).

A former third-round pick, Kupp has spent his entire career with the Rams organization. His 2021 campaign is still one of the most prolific seasons by a wide receiver in NFL history. Kupp finished that season with 1,965 yards from scrimmage, the most by a wide receiver in a single season. For his efforts, Kupp earned Offensive Player of the Year honors, and he followed that up with a postseason where he hauled in a record 33 receptions in four games and earned Super Bowl MVP.

Since then, Kupp hasn’t been able to put together a full season, as he’s missed 18 regular season games over the past three years. After finishing with 90.2 yards per game in 2022, Kupp has averaged only 60.3 yards per game between 2023 and 2024 while taking a backseat to Nacua. Kupp’s 2024 campaign was one of the least-productive seasons of his career, as he finished with 67 catches for 710 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games.

Still, considering his resume, Kupp should still be relatively attractive to WR-needy teams. Plus, he doesn’t completely break the bank. While his $29.78MM cap number in 2025 could be untenable, he’s only due $20MM total next season (via a $7.5MM roster bonus due in March and a $12.5MM base salary). A trade suitor would also be on the hook for his $19.85MM in salary commitments for the 2026 season. Only $5MM of his base salary is guaranteed for next season, so if the Rams are unable to find a trade partner over the next month, there’s a chance they just cut the veteran before the roster bonus is triggered.

Still, it’s unlikely it gets that far, as interested teams could always renegotiate with their trade acquisition. When Kupp was on the block earlier this season, the Chiefs, Bills and Steelers were mentioned as teams that discussed a trade with the Rams. Each of those teams ended up pivoting elsewhere, with Kansas City (DeAndre Hopkins), Buffalo (Amari Cooper), and Pittsburgh (Mike Williams) all making moves to shore up their WR corps. Still, there’s a chance any of those squads come crawling back, and new suitors could surely emerge as the offseason plays out.

Working in the Rams’ favor is a relatively uninspiring free agent market at the position. Tee Higgins will be the most coveted name, but the rest of the group consists of veterans coming off injuries (like Chris Godwin and Stefon Diggs) and veterans who underwhelmed in new spots (like Hopkins and Cooper). If a team is looking to make a big-name splash at the position, Kupp would surely check that box.

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