Training camp has already delivered one of its first eye-catching Travis Hunter moments, and the rookie’s defensive usage is starting to tell a bigger story.
On Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback/wide receiver picked off a Trevor Lawrence pass with a leaping grab at camp, according to Garry Smits of the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union. It was unofficially Hunter’s second interception of camp, and Smits reported that both the crowd and Hunter celebrated the play before it ended his final defensive snap of the day.
That detail matters because Hunter’s role on defense is becoming a real point of discussion. There has been talk of using him more on that side of the ball than at wide receiver this season, and his camp workload only adds fuel to that idea. Smits said Hunter has taken more defensive snaps than offensive snaps in eight of his nine full sessions.
Hunter is heading into his second NFL season after being selected No. 2 overall by the Jaguars. He spent 2024-2025 at Colorado, where he became one of the most unusual stars in college football by thriving on both sides of the ball. As a defensive back in those two seasons, he totaled 66 tackles, seven interceptions, 16 passes defended, three tackles for loss, and one forced fumble.
At receiver, Hunter was just as productive. He caught 153 passes for 1,979 yards and 20 touchdowns, and his two-way dominance earned him the 2024 Heisman Trophy.
His first NFL season in Jacksonville was interrupted by injury. In seven games, he posted 15 tackles and three passes defended on defense, while still looking for his first career interception in the league. On offense, he finished with 28 catches for 298 yards and one touchdown.
Meanwhile, Cleveland’s quarterback situation remains unsettled as preseason enters its first full week. The Browns’ competition appears to be centered on Deshaun Watson, Dillon Gabriel, and former Colorado standout Shedeur Sanders.
Sanders played for Colorado from 2024-2025 and left Boulder with 7,364 passing yards and 13 touchdowns. His 71.8 completion percentage is the highest in FBS history, and he was named the 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.
After that season, Sanders entered the 2025 NFL Draft and was taken by the Browns in the fifth round.
As a rookie in Cleveland last season, Sanders appeared in eight games and started seven. He threw for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns, and now he is part of a quarterback battle under new head coach Todd Monken.
“It’s close,” Monken said to USA Today. “People somehow think I have some hidden agenda, or like there’s some preconceived notion.”
In Other News...
Joe Thomas Sees One Browns Reality Fans May Hate
Joe Thomas has seen enough Browns football to know when a roster is pointing toward a reset, and the former left tackle thinks Cleveland is already acting like a team with a bigger quarterback plan in mind. With Myles Garrett traded away, the roster feels more like a rebuild than a quick fix, and Thomas suggested the Browns are preparing for the kind of draft that can change a franchises direction rather than trying to force a short-term answer under center.
The current quarterback picture does not look like the endgame from Thomas view, even with Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders in the mix. Cleveland also has multiple first-round picks to work with, which gives it the kind of ammunition teams need if they decide to move up for a preferred prospect, and that is why the 2027 draft is starting to sound like the real target as the Browns search for their next long-term solution. [Read more 🡒]
Browns QB Battle Is Raising A Bigger Concern Before Preseason
The Browns still have not settled their Week 1 quarterback, and Todd Monken is using the preseason to let both Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders get turns under center before making anything official. That kind of setup usually buys a team time, but it also puts a sharper spotlight on every practice rep, especially when the offense is trying to sort out timing, command and clean operation at a spot that drives everything else.
What has made this competition feel a little less straightforward is the sloppiness showing up around the edges. Reports out of practice have pointed to penalties and uneven execution in two-minute work, the sort of sequence that can expose a young offense in a hurry and leave a coach visibly irritated. With preseason games approaching, the Browns are still searching for clarity, and the bigger concern may be less about who wins the job and more about whether the offense can get organized enough to support whoever does. [Read more 🡒]
Todd Monken Is Already Under Pressure After Browns Camp Blowup
A rough training camp day has already put Todd Monken in an uncomfortable spotlight as he prepares for his first NFL preseason game as a head coach. After a practice session went off the rails because of repeated offensive mistakes, Monken cut things short and later said the moment left him needing to take a hard look at how he was coaching a Browns team built around a young roster and a staff still learning on the fly.
Monken has since tried to steady the tone around camp, but the episode was a reminder that patience can run thin quickly when a new regime is trying to establish itself. With Cleveland still sorting through growing pains in a season that will test both players and coaches, the bigger question now is whether the sideline response becomes a one-off frustration or a sign of deeper pressure ahead. [Read more 🡒]