JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jaguars will continue playing Travis Hunter on both sides of the ball but expect him to have a “higher emphasis” on defense in 2026.
General manager James Gladstone indicated Wednesday that Hunter could slide into a starting cornerback role when organized training activities begin in May. End-of-season starters Montaric Brown and Greg Newsome II are pending free agents, creating potential holes at the position.
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“We still expect him to play on both sides of the ball,” Gladstone said. “At this point, walking into the offseason, corner is a position that we have a few guys who are on expiring contracts. So, by default, you can expect there to be a higher emphasis on his placement."
Hunter, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner and the second overall draft pick last year, had season-ending surgery in early November to repair the lateral collateral ligament in his right knee. He is expected back on the field long before training camp.
“The steps that he was taken by the midpoint of the season really made us feel good about what the back half of the year was going to be on both sides of the ball and what that impact was going to look like being a feature point on offense and an impact player on defense,” Gladstone said. “It was just disappointing timing but nonetheless feel good about where we are heading into this offseason and what next year should hold.”
Hunter injured his knee during a noncontact drill in practice. The receiver/cornerback was coming off a career performance in London before the injury. He caught eight passes for 101 yards and a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams, and the Jaguars were planning to use him as their No. 1 receiver moving forward.
“You felt like he was starting to peak and really make a real dent,” Gladstone said. “And the plan for post bye was to continue to enhance that. Tough not to be able to see that come to life down the backstretch.”
Hunter rarely looked like a player worth what Jacksonville gave up to get him — Gladstone traded four picks to Cleveland, including a first-rounder in 2026, to move up three spots in the draft — and often appeared confused about where to line up on offense.
Throw in the Jaguars (13-5) winning nine of 10 regular-season games following his injury, and it was hardly surprising to hear speculation about how much Hunter really helped as a rookie. But coaches and teammates believe the few plays he made were enough to prove he's going to be special.
“He was ascending," cornerback Jourdan Lewis said. "When he got hurt, he was finding his groove on offense and defense. It felt like he was making a big play every time we needed him. He knows what is expected of him now. Just working, honestly. Keep working and putting your head down.”
Hunter played a combined 486 snaps this season, with 324 of those coming on offense. He played 67% of the downs on that side of the ball. He played 162 snaps on defense and was on the field 36% of the time on that side of the ball.
He finished with 28 receptions for 298 yards and a score. He also had 15 tackles and three pass defenses.
He might not be needed as much at receiver, either. Jacksonville traded for veteran receiver Jakobi Meyers after Hunter's injury and signed him to a three-year, $60 million contract extension. Parker Washington also emerged as a viable option, and there's hope that Brian Thomas Jr. regains his rookie form after a down year.
“I never really look at anybody as like 1, 2 or 3ish,” coach Liam Coen said. “But I’m really excited about getting back to work with Travis and continue that evolution and see what that looks like.”
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