Travis Hunter’s future role up in the air after curious comments by Jaguars coach

The Jaguars may shed the two-way role for Travis Hunter.

Jaguars coach Liam Coen opened the door for Hunter to exclusively serve as a cornerback or receiver after an inconsistent rookie season that ended early due to season-ending surgery on his right knee.

Hunter underwent surgery Tuesday to repair an isolated lateral collateral ligament, and the team said he should return to “full football activities” within six months.

“I understand there’s a lot of questions about if he’ll remain a two-way player and all those kind of things,” Coen said Wednesday. “All of that is very premature, and at the end of the day like every player on this roster he’ll be evaluated at the end of the season and we’ll be able to give him his three better, three best and the things that we need to continue to improve upon and the things we need to build on.”

It’s notable that Coen did not outright state that Hunter will continue to serve in both capacities since the Jaguars traded up in the 2025 NFL Draft to land the former Colorado star for those reasons.

Hunter graded as both the top receiver and cornerback in the draft in some rankings, and Jacksonville traded the No. 5 pick, No. 36 selection, a fourth-round choice and a 2026 first-rounder to the Browns for the No. 2 spot.

“It’s very rare to be able to target a player who can alter the sport itself,” Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said at the time. “We view him through the lens of ‘unique.’ ”

Hunter’s rookie season, though, was anything but unique.

He tallied just 28 catches for 298 yards and one touchdown in seven games, topping 65 yards just once, and ranks 64th among 83 eligible receivers, per Pro Football Focus.

Hunter’s standout performance came in his last game, an eight-catch, 101-yard, one-touchdown showing against the Rams on Oct. 19.

As a cornerback, Hunter tallied 15 total tackles and three pass deflections. He did not register a sack or interception in his rookie season.

He ranks 30th in coverage among 188 cornerbacks, per Pro Football Focus.

Coen said it’s “very premature” when asked if he expects Hunter to be a No. 1 receiver and cornerback going forward, since team composition will matter.

“Also looking where do we need him most, in more ways than others. I definitely think the whole thing’s been a learning experiment,” Coen said. “But getting to know the person has obviously been the most important thing and the type of competitor, the way that he learns, the way that he competes, the way that he practices, that stuff that we’ve been able to gain valuable information on and be able to use moving forward and actually put in a continued practice.”

The Jaguars (5-4) are 1-1 since they lost Hunter after Week 7, including a colossal collapse in a 36-29 Week 10 loss to the division rival Texans.

They still hold the seventh and final playoff spot, thanks to their win over the Chiefs early in the year, and will try to sneak their way into the postseason despite losing their first-round pick.

“Yes, on the field, for obvious reasons, he’ll be missed,” Coen said. “But off the field, he’s got that presence, that confidence that is infectious.

Click here to read article