Travis Hunter made his intentions known before the draft: if a team wasn’t willing to use him at both wide receiver and cornerback, it shouldn’t bother picking him. The Jacksonville Jaguars still paid a steep price to trade up and grab him with the No. 2 pick, betting on a player who wanted the full two-way job in the pros.
Now, as Hunter works his way back from a serious injury, Jaguars coach Liam Coen is laying out a more measured plan for the rookie’s role on offense.
“Absolutely. We’ll definitely have a package on offense to be able to get him some opportunities,” Coen said on "The Rich Eisen Show."
That approach is a step back from Hunter’s preferred vision. He wanted to be a starting wide receiver, not simply a situational piece sprinkled into certain plays.
But there’s a practical side to Jacksonville’s thinking. Hunter played a huge volume of snaps in college, and that workload is a different animal when the competition comes from the best players in the world on both sides of the ball.
The Jaguars have already listed him as one of their starting cornerbacks, and Coen said he isn’t shutting the door on Hunter eventually handling two-way duties. For now, though, he wants patience.
“Let’s pump the brakes and just give the guy a chance to get back from obviously a pretty serious injury in which he’s worked his tail off to get himself into the position where he can continue to do those things,” Coen continued.
In Other News...
Jaguars Cuts Are Already Creating A Post-Roster Debate
The Jaguars roster trim is in the books, and the next wave of conversation is already focused on who stayed in the organization and who got away. Jacksonville got to 53 players and then quickly filled out its practice squad with 17 additions, keeping several waived players in the building as the team tried to preserve continuity after cut-down day.
Even so, the list of former Jaguars is starting to spread across the league. Yasir Abdullah landed with the Atlanta Falcons on their 53-man roster, while Chuma Edoga, DeeJay Dallas, Patrick Herbert and Jalen Hunt have already turned up on other practice squads or remain free agents, with landing spots including Baltimore, Minnesota and Los Angeles. For a team trying to sharpen the back end of the roster, the early debate is less about the final cut itself than whether Jacksonville gave up too much talent before the waiver claims and practice-squad shuffle settled. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Could Have One More Tough Roster Decision Before Week 1
James Gladstone has already been active on the trade front for Jacksonville, moving quarterback Quinn Ewers and tight end Hunter Long in separate deals as the team continues shaping the roster ahead of Week 1. With the opener closing in, the Jaguars still have a few spots that could prompt more movement, especially as they weigh depth, health, and how the offensive line and linebacker groups line up once the final roster picture gets clearer.
One of the names to watch is Walker Little, whose status could become part of a bigger decision if Cole Van Lanen is back from injury and ready to factor in. On the other side of the ball, Jacksonville could also look outside the building for help at linebacker, with New Orleans Pete Werner mentioned as a possible target if the Jaguars decide they need more depth there. For a front office that has already shown a willingness to deal, the final stretch before Week 1 may not be quiet. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Have A Practice Squad Battle That Could Matter Fast
The Jaguars 17-player practice squad is worth a closer look because it is not just filler for the middle of the season. It is the next layer of depth behind a roster that will inevitably be tested, and the group includes a mix of players who could be asked to help on special teams or step into bigger roles if the active roster thins out. Names like Jabbar Muhammad, Nick Mullens and Jack Kiser stand out because each brings a different kind of value, whether it is positional insurance, experience or the kind of versatility coaches tend to keep close.
What makes this group interesting is how quickly a practice-squad decision can become a roster decision in Jacksonville. Injuries, performance swings and special teams needs all create openings, and the Jaguars appear to have several players who could be next in line if those doors open. The conversation is less about who is guaranteed to move up and more about which players are positioned to make the jump first, which is exactly why the practice squad matters so much for a team trying to manage the 2026 season. [Read more 🡒]