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(Editor's note: This is the latest edition of "Jaguars: Uncaged," the newsletter providing extra analysis and opinion on Jacksonville's NFL team. You can sign up to receive this newsletter in your email inbox weekly and twice a week during the season.)
Are we still talking about Travis Hunter?
Yes, the No. 2 overall pick from the 2025 NFL Draft will continue to play both on both sides of the ball when he returns to the field.
The Jacksonville Jaguars released a clip on their social media account where head coach Liam Coen doubled down (it might even be triple or quadrupling down at this point) on the fact that Hunter will play on both sides of the ball.
Jaguars schedule predictions: How many primetime games?
This all stemmed from a report on a report on comments made by general manager James Gladstone back in January during the team’s end of the year press conference.
At that time, Gladstone told reporters, “We still expect him to play on both sides of the ball.” He also noted at that time the Jaguars had several pending free agents at cornerback and said there’d likely be a higher emphasis on his placement from that side off the ball.
Maybe that’s where some of the confusion comes from. After not investing capital through the draft or in free agency, it’s likely that Hunter will stand across from Montaric Brown as the top defensive backs on the roster this fall.
However, that doesn’t mean he won’t be featured on offense. Let’s break this down… again.
If you told me in January that the Jaguars wouldn’t bring in any outside free agents or draft any players at cornerback, I wouldn’t have believed you.
They had two cornerbacks on expiring deals, Hunter was coming off a season ending injury and it was projected as one of the team’s weakest position groups.
However, that’s not how the front office views the position group. The only outside additions they made this offseason at cornerback came in the form of two undrafted free agent signings.
Devon Marshall and Preston Hodge will enter this summer with a strong shot to make Jacksonville’s roster. Aside from the team re-signing Buster Brown — a great move — the team didn’t do much for the cornerback position.
Which tells you exactly how they feel about Hunter as he enters his second season in the league. He’ll be leaned upon to match up against some of the best receivers in the league.
It’s a challenge that he’s already proved to be prepared for, with the NFL posting a recent highlight tape of his defensive stops from his rookie season.
Now with a year of experience under his belt, he projects to do even better this season. Especially if he stays healthy.
As someone who campaigned for the Jaguars to select Hunter for his talent on each side of the ball, the conversation surrounding his play is something I’ve never quite understood.
He’s an elite playmaker with the ball and a naturally gifted defender. Sure, he could thrive if he just focused on one side of the ball.
But that takes away from the magic of what makes him special. A truly one-of-one player who can impact the game in ways nobody has before.
Whether it’s on the practice fields of the Miller Electric Center or under the bright lights at EverBank Stadium, Hunter is someone who should be allowed to be himself.
He’s a superstar.
He proved as much in limited play for the Jaguars during his rookie season. Do we need examples?
Let’s start with his final game before injury against the Los Angeles Rams. Hunter logged a career-best eight catches with 108 yards and scored his first professional touchdown.
He also had a drive-ending pass breakup on Davante Adams, a teach-tape deflection on a day where Jacksonville’s defense couldn’t find an answer to stopping Matthew Stafford.
Another instance was the third-and-long snag in San Francisco where he climbed the ladder over the middle to move the chains for the Jaguars. Or maybe you prefer his ball jarring hit against Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
And there’s the snag against the Kansas City Chiefs where he sprung over two defenders to reel in a deep pass from Trevor Lawrence.
Why would the Jaguars want to limit those types of plays to only one side of the ball?
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Why Jaguars Travis Hunter will play offense, defense in 20226
Continue reading...
Are we still talking about Travis Hunter?
Yes, the No. 2 overall pick from the 2025 NFL Draft will continue to play both on both sides of the ball when he returns to the field.
The Jacksonville Jaguars released a clip on their social media account where head coach Liam Coen doubled down (it might even be triple or quadrupling down at this point) on the fact that Hunter will play on both sides of the ball.
Jaguars schedule predictions: How many primetime games?
This all stemmed from a report on a report on comments made by general manager James Gladstone back in January during the team’s end of the year press conference.
At that time, Gladstone told reporters, “We still expect him to play on both sides of the ball.” He also noted at that time the Jaguars had several pending free agents at cornerback and said there’d likely be a higher emphasis on his placement from that side off the ball.
Maybe that’s where some of the confusion comes from. After not investing capital through the draft or in free agency, it’s likely that Hunter will stand across from Montaric Brown as the top defensive backs on the roster this fall.
However, that doesn’t mean he won’t be featured on offense. Let’s break this down… again.
Travis Hunter projected to be Jacksonville Jaguars top cornerback
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If you told me in January that the Jaguars wouldn’t bring in any outside free agents or draft any players at cornerback, I wouldn’t have believed you.
They had two cornerbacks on expiring deals, Hunter was coming off a season ending injury and it was projected as one of the team’s weakest position groups.
However, that’s not how the front office views the position group. The only outside additions they made this offseason at cornerback came in the form of two undrafted free agent signings.
Devon Marshall and Preston Hodge will enter this summer with a strong shot to make Jacksonville’s roster. Aside from the team re-signing Buster Brown — a great move — the team didn’t do much for the cornerback position.
Which tells you exactly how they feel about Hunter as he enters his second season in the league. He’ll be leaned upon to match up against some of the best receivers in the league.
It’s a challenge that he’s already proved to be prepared for, with the NFL posting a recent highlight tape of his defensive stops from his rookie season.
Now with a year of experience under his belt, he projects to do even better this season. Especially if he stays healthy.
Yes, Travis Hunter can still impact Jaguars' offense
As someone who campaigned for the Jaguars to select Hunter for his talent on each side of the ball, the conversation surrounding his play is something I’ve never quite understood.
He’s an elite playmaker with the ball and a naturally gifted defender. Sure, he could thrive if he just focused on one side of the ball.
But that takes away from the magic of what makes him special. A truly one-of-one player who can impact the game in ways nobody has before.
Whether it’s on the practice fields of the Miller Electric Center or under the bright lights at EverBank Stadium, Hunter is someone who should be allowed to be himself.
He’s a superstar.
He proved as much in limited play for the Jaguars during his rookie season. Do we need examples?
Let’s start with his final game before injury against the Los Angeles Rams. Hunter logged a career-best eight catches with 108 yards and scored his first professional touchdown.
He also had a drive-ending pass breakup on Davante Adams, a teach-tape deflection on a day where Jacksonville’s defense couldn’t find an answer to stopping Matthew Stafford.
Another instance was the third-and-long snag in San Francisco where he climbed the ladder over the middle to move the chains for the Jaguars. Or maybe you prefer his ball jarring hit against Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
And there’s the snag against the Kansas City Chiefs where he sprung over two defenders to reel in a deep pass from Trevor Lawrence.
Why would the Jaguars want to limit those types of plays to only one side of the ball?
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Why Jaguars Travis Hunter will play offense, defense in 20226
Continue reading...
