Ja’Marr Chase didn’t exactly open the door for a deep Travis Hunter breakdown.
When reporters asked the Bengals receiver about Jacksonville’s secondary and, more specifically, how Hunter looks now compared with his rookie season, Chase kept it short and sharp. After the question, he said, “Ummm … That’s all I got,” and moved on.
That clipped answer landed with a little extra force because Chase has already done damage against Jacksonville before. In 2025, he piled up 14 catches for 165 yards and a touchdown against the Jaguars, so there’s a real reason his shrug carried some weight.
Hunter’s name has been a hot topic for another reason, too: his offseason transformation. After recovering from a torn LCL, he added significant muscle, and some around the league have even described him as the most jacked wide receiver in the NFL. That naturally led to questions about what has changed entering Year 2.
The early returns have been uneven. Hunter was beaten badly in coverage during a joint practice against the Saints in August, and some fans said he got completely mossed on the play. Even so, Jacksonville has continued using him as a full-time cornerback, banking on the same athleticism that made him such a rare college player at Colorado.
There has been some proof of progress. Hunter picked off his first pass as a pro against the Patriots in Week 3, and that moment even sparked a scuffle involving one of his teammates and a ball boy.
Chase has shown respect for Hunter in the past, calling him “a pure athlete” who “can literally do it all.” Joe Burrow also praised what he saw from Hunter in college. But plenty of fans still aren’t sold on the idea that Hunter is already a shutdown corner.
“Travis hunter isn’t the lockdown corner he was praised to be stupid question,” one wrote.
“I mean when did Travis Hunter become lock down?😭” another asked.
That skepticism has a backdrop. Hunter’s rookie season ended early because of the knee injury, which limited the amount of tape he left at cornerback. And the hype around him has been huge from the start: he won the Heisman Trophy at Colorado in 2024 as a true two-way standout, then Jacksonville traded up to take him with the No. 2 overall pick the following spring.
With that kind of spotlight, every rep matters.
In Other News...
JaMarr Chases Travis Hunter Response Says Everything Bengals Fans Wanted
Ja'Marr Chase was given a familiar type of question this week, the kind that comes with any matchup against a high-profile defensive back and an even bigger spotlight. This time it was Jacksonville cornerback Travis Hunter, who has added muscle during his recovery from a torn LCL and is still carrying the weight of his lofty reputation as the former Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 overall pick in 2025.
Chase did not offer much in the way of buildup, and the briefness of his answer said plenty about how he views the matchup. For Jaguars fans, Hunters second season has already become a test case, with some wondering whether he can truly develop into the lockdown cornerback they expected, and any meeting with a receiver of Chases caliber only adds to the scrutiny. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Suddenly Have A Secondary Problem At The Worst Time
The Jaguars are heading into Week 4 with some real uncertainty in the secondary, and it comes at a bad time with the Bengals on deck. Cornerbacks Montaric Brown and Christian Braswell are both listed as questionable, and each has been limited in practice because of injuries, leaving Jacksonville to sort out how it wants to handle a matchup that could stress the back end of the defense.
Jarrian Jones has already been handling the biggest workload among Jacksonville cornerbacks this season, and that responsibility could grow quickly if Brown and Braswell cannot go. The Jaguars need clarity before kickoff because the corner rotation could end up being a major factor in how well they match up with Cincinnati's receivers. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars May Face A Brian Thomas Jr. Decision They Didn't Want
Even with Brian Thomas Jr. just getting established in Jacksonville, his name has already surfaced in trade chatter as the season approaches. ESPNs Dan Graziano has pegged the Kansas City Chiefs as a potential landing spot, with the San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders also said to be interested in adding the Jaguars wideout to strengthen their receiver rooms.
For Jacksonville, the conversation is less about whether Thomas can help and more about how the team views its own depth at the position. If the Jaguars decide to listen, they may find a market with multiple suitors, and that kind of competition can quickly turn a difficult roster question into a far more complicated one. [Read more 🡒]