The Jaguars’ rotation at cornerback is shaping Travis Hunter’s early-season workload, and head coach Liam Coen made it clear the rookie isn’t being singled out so much as he’s part of a larger plan in the secondary.
Hunter has logged just 66 defensive snaps this season, which works out to 58.41 percent of the defensive snaps. Coen said the way Jacksonville is cycling corners has influenced that usage, and he pointed to the depth at the position as a reason the team feels comfortable spreading the work around.
“We did it for the most part of the last season as well, before Travis got hurt. It’s something that we got to continue to do.
We have corners that we have confidence in. Those guys can all make plays for us.
They can all communicate for us. They’ve been in the system now,” Coen said, via John Shipley of SI.
“We got to play it better, for sure, but we also got to get to the quarterback to help those guys out as well in the back end. Definitely some communication and we’re a little bit softer than I would’ve liked us to be, especially in some situations.
But yeah, it’s a rotation. Pre-game, we have it all laid out.
The players know it. They all know the rotation.
It’s been clearly laid out to them what the expectations and standards are.”
In Houston, the conversation around Jaylin Noel has been a little different. The Texans wideout has taken a step forward as a return man, but the receiving production hasn’t matched what the team had in mind. Head coach DeMeco Ryans said Noel has given the Texans a boost in the return game and added that the offense can do more to help him settle into his role.
“We all have a lot to work on. Coaches, players, we all have a lot to work on.
It’s not good enough,” Ryans said, via the Texans Wire. “And I think it’s easy to sit back and kind of nitpick, ‘Hey, what didn’t go wrong?’
‘J-Noel’ got one big explosive on the pass, did another good job on the jet sweep. ‘J-Noel’ has done a great job.
He improved in the punt return area. He did a really good job of being decisive as a punt returner.
I thought ‘J-Noel’ took a huge step this past week and he got better for our football team and he put us in position to have some opportunities to go score. As we continue to build off of what he’s shown, we’ll continue to see how that role continues to thrive.”
Ryans also said the Texans’ receiver usage can vary from week to week depending on the flow of the game, and he made it clear the team wants to keep creating chances for Noel without forcing the issue.
“With our receivers, we have different packages of different guys with different play calls they are in. How those snap counts kind of come about, it depends on how the game is going, how the game is flowing. No one wants to see ‘J-Noel’ make more explosive plays than all of us, so just got to find a way to keep moving it around and find a way to make plays offensively no matter who it is that’s getting the football.”
In Tennessee, Titans head coach Robert Saleh had praise for Elic Ayomanor after the receiver stepped up in the team’s second regular-season game. Saleh singled out Ayomanor’s approach and the amount of work he puts into his craft.
“ You’d be hard-pressed to find a receiver in this league that works as hard as he does, trains as hard as he does,” Saleh said, via Titans Wire. “ He’s improving every single day.
I love his mindset, I love his work ethic, and how hard he works at his craft. “
In Other News...
Jaguars Uniform Schedule Leaves Door Open For A Fan-Favorite Return
The Jaguars have already mapped out part of their look for the season, and it includes a couple of familiar favorites. Jacksonville will wear its Prowler Throwback uniforms in Week 3 against the New England Patriots and again in Week 14 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, while the teams Nike Rivalries jerseys are set for Week 8 against the Indianapolis Colts. Those Rivalries uniforms do not count toward the NFLs limit of four alternate uniform games, which gives the Jaguars a little extra flexibility as the schedule unfolds.
What makes the announcement interesting for fans is what still isnt locked in. Jacksonville has two alternate-uniform chances left on the calendar, leaving open the possibility of another return for a look that has long had plenty of support around the fan base. The all-black uniforms remain a candidate, and with two slots still available, the Jaguars have left themselves room to decide how bold they want to get later in the season. [Read more 🡒]
Ex-Jaguars RB Already Giving Saints Fans A Reason To Worry
Travis Etienne Jr. is only two games into his New Orleans tenure, but the early returns have already given Saints fans something to watch closely. The former Jaguars running back arrived on a big-money deal, and the expectation was obvious: he would be a featured piece in the offense and a driver of explosive plays from the backfield.
Instead, the usage has been more split than seamless. Etienne has been on the field for 57% of the snaps and has shared touches with other backs, while his yards per touch is lagging behind last seasons pace. It is still far too early to label the contract a success or a miss, but the first glimpse of this new partnership has not exactly calmed the questions around how New Orleans plans to use him. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Offense Faces An Early Trevor Lawrence Test In New England
Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars offense head into Foxborough facing an early-season measuring stick against a Patriots defense that should ask different questions than the ones Jacksonville has seen so far. New England brings Drake Maye into the spotlight on the other side, but the more immediate issue for the Jaguars is whether Lawrence can handle the pressure, get the ball out on time and keep the offense on schedule in a game that figures to be shaped by field position and patience.
For Jacksonville, this is the kind of matchup that can reveal whether the system is settling in or still searching for answers. The Patriots are the sort of opponent that can force a quarterback to win with discipline rather than splash plays, and the Jaguars will need their passing game to stay ahead of the sticks while the staff weighs how aggressive to be. It is only Week 3, but games like this can tell a team plenty about where its offense really stands. [Read more 🡒]