The Jacksonville Jaguars’ first unofficial depth chart ahead of Week 1 didn’t deliver many surprises, but it did put Travis Hunter’s role in sharp focus.
Hunter, the former No. 2 pick, is listed as a starting cornerback and a backup wide receiver, a setup that points to where the Jaguars want him most as they prepare for their opener against the Cleveland Browns. That alignment changes the shape of the roster conversation on both sides of the ball, and it creates a clear set of winners and losers inside the building.
The biggest beneficiary may be defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile. In his first year running the unit, the Jaguars’ secondary was arguably the weakest part of a defense that otherwise took a step forward.
Now Campanile gets to add a potential Pro Bowl-level talent at cornerback, and the difference is not just talent - it’s stability. With Hunter working more consistently on defense, Campanile can use him in a way that simply wasn’t possible during Hunter’s rookie season.
That matters for Josh Hines-Allen, too. He has long been the Jaguars’ most dangerous pass-rush threat, but there have been too many stretches in his career where the coverage behind him hasn’t held up long enough.
Last season, Hines-Allen was among the NFL leaders in pressures, but he didn’t turn enough of them into sacks because quarterbacks got the ball out so quickly against Jacksonville’s secondary. If Hunter helps the coverage last just a little longer, Hines-Allen and the rest of the front should have a better chance to finish plays in 2026.
Parker Washington also looks set up for a strong opening week. He is now ahead of Hunter on the wide receiver depth chart, and that only strengthens his grip on snaps.
Washington spent the first two months of last season as Hunter’s backup in the slot, but Hunter’s offensive role looks different now than it did in Week 1 a year ago. During training camp, most of Hunter’s receiver reps came on the outside rather than in the slot, and with Hunter now clearly positioned as a cornerback first, Washington appears to be one of the safest bets on the roster for steady playing time.
The depth chart also leaves the Jaguars with a decision to make on the other cornerback spots. Hunter is listed at one corner and Montaric Brown at the other, which leaves just one more starting job for Jarrian Jones and Jourdan Lewis to sort out.
Jones brings youth and explosiveness. Lewis brings captain status and a track record of making plays before he was injured last season.
If Hunter were still being treated as offense first and defense second, Jones might have an easier path across from Brown. With Hunter now at the top of the cornerback chart, the Jaguars have a logjam to untangle.
What stands out most is how different this looks from a year ago. Hunter entered last season as a receiver first and a cornerback second, but that balance has shifted.
The Jaguars’ receiver room has changed with the addition of Jakobi Meyers and the rise of Parker Washington, and that has affected Hunter’s offensive workload. He still showed high-level traits at both spots last year, and he’ll get another chance to flash them in 2026.
The difference is that opportunities to grow on offense may come less often this time around.
In Other News...
Jaguars Defense Has A Week 1 Concern Fans Can't Ignore
Anthony Campanile enters his second season running the Jaguars defense with something this staff has wanted for a while: continuity. There is still plenty of adjustment ahead, though, because the secondary is getting a new look with Travis Hunter and Antonio Johnson moving into starting roles, and new defensive pass game coordinator Mathieu Araujo bringing a different coverage scheme into the mix.
The bigger early concern may be what happens behind them. Jacksonville has to replace Devin Lloyd after his departure in free agency, leaving Ventrell Miller and Branson Combs to take on more responsibility at linebacker, while the pass rush still leans heavily on veterans Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen with a young group of backups behind them. On paper, the pieces are there, but the Jaguars will find out quickly in Week 1 whether all of those moving parts are ready at once. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Already Have A Week 1 QB Issue Jaguars Fans Should Note
The Browns have settled on Deshaun Watson as their Week 1 starter against Jacksonville, but the quarterback picture behind him already looks more fluid than a clean depth chart. Shedeur Sanders is expected to back him up, and the Browns also carried rookie Taylen Green onto the 53-man roster after placing Dillon Gabriel on injured reserve, keeping a young arm in the mix as they head into the opener.
Todd Monken did not sound like a coach intent on keeping Green parked on the sideline for long. He said the rookie could see some playing time in the season opener, praising Greens athleticism and intelligence while also stressing that he still has skills to refine. For the Jaguars, it is a reminder that Week 1 could feature more moving parts at quarterback than the usual opening-day matchup suggests. [Read more 🡒]
Why One NFL Insider Believes Jaguars Success Could Actually Last
The Jaguars recent rise has started to look less like a brief hot streak and more like the kind of foundation teams hope to build around. Albert Breer pointed to the work being done under Tony Boselli, James Gladstone and Liam Coen, noting how the roster reshaping and coaching changes have helped turn Jacksonville into a team that can sustain success rather than merely flash it. A 13-win season and an eight-game winning streak give that argument some weight, especially when the progress feels tied to bigger organizational changes.
Trevor Lawrences growth has become another key part of the case, with Breer describing him as an MVP finalist and a central reason the Jaguars look more stable than they did a year ago. Just as important, the culture around the team has reportedly taken on a different feel, which matters in a league where good stretches can disappear quickly if they are not supported from within. The bigger question now is whether Jacksonvilles recent momentum is the start of something lasting, or simply the point where expectations finally catch up to the rebuild. [Read more 🡒]