Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski says Travis Hunter’s workload won’t stay locked into one lane from week to week.
The Jaguars are planning to adjust WR/CB Travis Hunter’s role based on the game plan, and Udinski made it clear that the usage can swing pretty dramatically depending on the opponent and the script.
“ Some weeks it might be a strong feature of Travis and you may say, man, this guy suddenly had 10 catches one game and then the next game, it might only be two or three catches or a couple touches,” Udinski said, via Jags Wire. “ But we know that he has that ability at all times.”
In Houston, the conversation around C.J. Stroud is centered on a contract that didn’t get done last offseason, even though Texans GM Nick Caserio said the sides were close. Stroud is in the final year of his rookie deal before the fifth-year option for 2027, and Caserio made it sound like the team still expects an agreement to happen eventually.
“You can ask C.J. what his thoughts are. We had really good discussions.
We were pretty close. We weren’t able to consummate an agreement.
I don’t think anybody’s really too worried about it. Let’s say he’s going out there, honestly he’s played really good football, which isn’t a surprise of anybody.
I think there are very few people, maybe DeMeco, myself, who supported him all off-season when he was essentially bad-mouthed for like four months about one bad half of football. I think the way he handled himself, how he’s approached it, speaks to who he is.
Not a surprise to any of us. I think the contract will take care of itself, whenever that is.
We were close. We didn’t get it over the finish line.
I don’t think that’s going to dissuade anybody moving forward from ultimately reaching an agreement, whenever that is,” Caserio said, via TexansWire.
Stroud’s production backs up Caserio’s confidence. He has 1,867 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and just one interception.
Caserio said the Texans are not surprised by the way the quarterback has performed, and he pointed to the work Stroud put in during the offseason as part of the reason the results have shown up on the field.
“I think everybody made their best effort. Kind of came up a little bit short.
I don’t think anybody’s surprised with how he’s played. The guy’s a good quarterback.
He’s been a good quarterback since he’s been in the league. I know sometimes everybody kind of looks at it through a different lens.
The guy’s played really good football since he’s been in the league. That’s just the reality of it.
We have talked about that. That’s how DeMeco and I feel.
That’s what we’ve said. I don’t know how many times I got asked about it, talked about his professionalism, his performance, his attitude, how he worked this off-season.
I think you’re seeing a direct correlation between the work he put in in the off-season and the results on the field. It’s a credit to him.
It’s not surprising at all. We’re glad he’s our quarterback.”
He also said the failed talks weren’t driven by reluctance from either side.
“Nobody was reluctant on anything. We had discussions.
We made an offer. All right, couldn’t quite come to final resolution or agreement.
That happens. It’s not the first time, it’s not the last time.
Not going to be the first time. Again, nobody’s discouraged.
I have a lot of respect for C.J. and David [Mulugheta] and their group. I mean, I’m sure at some point that will take care of itself.”
In Tennessee, Robert Saleh is already bullish on Keldric Faulk, who has opened the season with seven tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack after being selected in the first round in 2026.
Saleh believes Faulk’s best football is still ahead of him.
“ Keldric Faulk is the youngest kid in the NFL, so he has to get stronger and learn. But he’s going to be a hell of a football player,” Saleh said via Jim Wyatt of the team website.
In Other News...
Colts Suddenly Have A Jonathan Taylor Question Before Jaguars Showdown
Jonathan Taylors status has become one of the more interesting subplots heading into the Colts matchup with the Jaguars, even if the running back tried to tamp down the noise this week. Taylor said he has not asked for a trade and has already spoken with Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon about his role, a sign that the conversation around him has moved beyond speculation and into the realm of organizational concern. For Indianapolis, the timing matters because the team has already moved on from other key pieces, leaving Taylor as one of the most prominent players still attached to a roster in transition.
Taylor has made it clear he takes pride in playing for the Colts and is focused on getting ready for Jacksonville, which is the part that should matter most to the locker room in the short term. Still, with the trade deadline looming and his future in Indianapolis not exactly settled, the situation adds a layer of intrigue to a game the Jaguars are watching closely. When a player of Taylors caliber is at the center of that kind of uncertainty, it tends to follow him right up to kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars May Need One Bold Trade To Fix Their Biggest Weakness
The trade market is already offering a reminder that there are ways to patch a roster before the deadline, and for the Jaguars, the discussion keeps circling back to the defensive line. Under general manager James Gladstone, Jacksonville has shown a willingness to explore deals, and that matters now because the front four is still the clearest area where the team could use an upgrade rather than another stopgap.
Names such as Payne and Ojomo have come up as possible fits, mostly because of the way their contract situations and skill sets could line up with what Jacksonville needs. Nothing is close to certain, and the chatter is more about scenarios than actual movement, but the longer the Jaguars go without a real solution up front, the more the idea of one bold swing starts to make sense. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Thomas Jr. Is Suddenly At Center Of A Jaguars Trade Idea
Brian Thomas Jr. has done enough in a short time to make him a real part of the Jaguars long-term picture, which is why it was notable to see his name pop up in a hypothetical trade proposal this week. Fox Sports analyst Steven Ruiz and ESPNs Ben Solak floated a deal between Jacksonville and Kansas City that would swap wide receivers Brian Thomas Jr. and Xavier Worthy, a scenario built more around fit and roster needs than any actual transaction.
For Jacksonville, the idea lands in an interesting place because Thomas represents the kind of big-play talent the Jaguars can envision building around, while Worthy brings a different profile and contract dynamic. It is purely speculative for now, with no official trade announced by either team, but it is the sort of discussion that tends to follow a young receiver who has already made himself central to the Jaguars future plans. [Read more 🡒]