The Jaguars have spent the entire run-up to 2026 expecting Travis Hunter to become a major piece of what they do. Arik Armstead just gave that belief some heavyweight backing.
Speaking on SiriusXM NFL Radio, the veteran defensive lineman said Hunter’s rookie flashes were only the start, and that a bigger season in year two would not come out of nowhere. Armstead, who has played in multiple Super Bowls and has been in the league for nearly a dozen years, called Hunter “a game-changer” and praised the way the rookie handled his rare two-way role.
“He's probably the most naturally talented athlete, just pure athlete I've been around, and I've been around some amazing ones. And so it was good for our sport, and it was good for our team. He adds a lot of value on both sides of the football,” Armstead said.
Hunter’s first NFL season was short, with just seven games before a season-ending injury cut things off. Even so, he managed 324 snaps at wide receiver and 162 at cornerback, then closed his year with his first touchdown catch and the first 100-yard game of his career.
That usage alone made him one of the league’s most unusual rookies. Now the Jaguars are looking ahead to what comes next, with head coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone both signaling that Hunter’s role is expected to carry into his second season. There has been plenty of speculation that he could see a bigger workload at cornerback, but whatever the split looks like, he is going to matter.
Armstead pointed to the normal rookie learning curve, Hunter’s recovery, and the benefit of being in the same system again as reasons the second year could look very different.
“Just like with everyone's career, you're going to have your rookie ups and downs, and I think he was starting to hit a stride before he got injured. And heading into this offseason, he's looking extremely well, and healing up amazingly, and so I'm excited to see, you know, as he gets back healthy, gets back into the fold, and hopefully, you know, is able to join us here soon back on the field, what he's able to accomplish in year two,” Armstead said.
“Things will slow down for him, just like they do all of us, and he'll be going into his second year being in the same system, around the same coaches, and knowing what is asked of him. And we know how challenging that can be as a rookie, just like you said, just mastering one side of the football. So, I think in year two is he's going to take a huge step and help our team in a lot of different ways.”
That’s the bet Jacksonville is making. Hunter missed a chunk of the reps he needed because of the injury, and the Jaguars will need him to make up ground quickly in 2026. The team already has a strong group at receiver even without him, but his value on defense could be just as important, especially alongside Montaric Brown, Jarrian Jones, and Jourdan Lewis.
Hunter was at OTAs and minicamp, though he did not practice as a full participant. The Jaguars have said he is expected back in training camp, though the exact timing of his return remains unclear.
When he does get back on the field, the Jaguars believe his ceiling can reshape both sides of the ball. That was the idea when they drafted him at No. 2 overall, and the early flashes from his rookie year only reinforced it.
Armstead’s case is simple: give Hunter another year in the same playbook, with the same coaching staff and a healthier body, and the jump could be real. If that happens, the 13-4 Jaguars from a year ago may be adding a Pro Bowl-level talent at two different positions of strength entering 2026.
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