Ja’Marr Chase didn’t exactly open the door for a deep Travis Hunter breakdown.
When reporters asked the Bengals receiver about Jacksonville’s secondary and, more specifically, how Hunter looks now compared with his rookie season, Chase kept it short and sharp. After the question, he said, “Ummm … That’s all I got,” and moved on.
That clipped answer landed with a little extra force because Chase has already done damage against Jacksonville before. In 2025, he piled up 14 catches for 165 yards and a touchdown against the Jaguars, so there’s a real reason his shrug carried some weight.
Hunter’s name has been a hot topic for another reason, too: his offseason transformation. After recovering from a torn LCL, he added significant muscle, and some around the league have even described him as the most jacked wide receiver in the NFL. That naturally led to questions about what has changed entering Year 2.
The early returns have been uneven. Hunter was beaten badly in coverage during a joint practice against the Saints in August, and some fans said he got completely mossed on the play. Even so, Jacksonville has continued using him as a full-time cornerback, banking on the same athleticism that made him such a rare college player at Colorado.
There has been some proof of progress. Hunter picked off his first pass as a pro against the Patriots in Week 3, and that moment even sparked a scuffle involving one of his teammates and a ball boy.
Chase has shown respect for Hunter in the past, calling him “a pure athlete” who “can literally do it all.” Joe Burrow also praised what he saw from Hunter in college. But plenty of fans still aren’t sold on the idea that Hunter is already a shutdown corner.
“Travis hunter isn’t the lockdown corner he was praised to be stupid question,” one wrote.
“I mean when did Travis Hunter become lock down?😭” another asked.
That skepticism has a backdrop. Hunter’s rookie season ended early because of the knee injury, which limited the amount of tape he left at cornerback. And the hype around him has been huge from the start: he won the Heisman Trophy at Colorado in 2024 as a true two-way standout, then Jacksonville traded up to take him with the No. 2 overall pick the following spring.
With that kind of spotlight, every rep matters.
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