Travis Hunter was in the news in the lead-up to Week 4’s Jacksonville Jaguars game against the Cincinnati Bengals, but not for anything he said.
It was because Bengals star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase was asked about Hunter — and all he could do was shrug.
That certainly added a little intrigue to Sunday’s clash.
Hunter, of course, is a two-way contributor for the Jaguars, although his best play of late has come on defense. He had his first career interception in Week 3 when he picked off Drake Maye in the end zone.
Now, Hunter gets a chance to match up with Chase. That could be an instant classic if they spend much of the game across from each other.
It does raise the question that came up from the moment Hunter was drafted, though — how does matching up with a star impact his showdown with a great opposing WR from his cornerback spot?
Is Travis Hunter Playing Offense Today?
There’s no indication that Hunter won’t play offense on Sunday. But he may not play a whole lot.
Hunter got just five offensive snaps in Week 3, and that tracks with about the amount he played in the first two weeks, too.
The Jaguars don’t currently have a lot of incentive to play Hunter more than that on offense. It gives him a chance to focus on defense.
Do they really want him tired on defense from playing offense when he then has to match up with Chase or Tee Higgins? That doesn’t seem like a great strategy.
At this point, at least for Week 4 against the high-powered Bengals, it’d be surprising if Hunter saw too much offensive action.
Why Travis Hunter Isn’t Playing More Offense
In addition to the dilemmas about how much to tire Hunter out on the offensive side of the ball, there’s also the reality that the Jaguars have a great WR depth chart.
Their top-three of Parker Washington, Brian Thomas Jr. and Jakobi Meyers ranks among the best trios in the NFL. Hunter isn’t necessarily better than any of them even when viewed just as a wide receiver.
The Jags have also gotten strong contributions in recent weeks from sixth-round rookie Josh Cameron, which gives them even one more reason to limit Hunter.
At this point, it seems Jacksonville just has some specialty plays installed for Hunter. He comes onto the field for a specific look, then comes right back off.
It probably does really allow him to thrive on defense. But it also does raise questions about Hunter’s long-term value if he’s not really the two-way player that people hoped he would be.
There’s a ton of time left in Hunter’s career, so don’t count him out yet. But right now, he’s much more a defender than he is a receiver.
Is Travis Hunter Playing Offense Today? Jaguars Plan For Matchup With Ja’Marr Chase