The Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off an incredible turnaround season. Just a year removed from finishing with a top-five pick and firing their head coach, the Jaguars won 13 games and the AFC South, finishing the regular season with eight straight wins and hosting a playoff game. Even though Jacksonville lost in the wildcard round to the Bills, the arrow is firmly pointing up for this team, especially with HC Liam Coen at the helm.
A major reason for optimism next year is the return of 2025 No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter. The supreme two-way player suffered a major knee injury midway through his rookie season, only playing seven games in 2025. Famous for playing almost every snap on both offense and defense in college at Colorado, Hunter continued to play both cornerback and wide receiver in the NFL, though with more of a focus on offense as a rookie.
NFL Insider on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Plans for Travis Hunter
GettyJACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 06: Travis Hunter #12 of the Jacksonville Jaguars runs the ball after a catch against Bryan Cook #6 of the Kansas City Chiefs during the second quarter at EverBank Stadium on October 06, 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
Appearing on the NFL Network show “The Insiders” on Friday, Cameron Wolfe detailed Jacksonville’s plans for Hunter in 2026.
“[The Jaguars] are coming off a magical season and they think 2026 can be even better because they’re getting their unicorn back,” Wolfe said. “Travis Hunter is expected to be 100-percent full-go by Week 1. He had surgery on the LCL in his knee. He will play both sides again in 2026 — the big change may come in the usage.”
“From what I understand, they plan to play him as a full-time cornerback [and] a part-time receiver, which is a switch from last year, when he played more than double his snaps at receiver than cornerback,” Wolfe continued. “I hear fantasy football fans groaning. [The Jaguars] believe he can be elite at cornerback and still be an impact player on offense. They also have Montaric Brown and Greg Newsome II, cornerbacks about to be free agents, and they’re expected to let at least one of those cornerbacks walk in free agency so Travis Hunter can have that starting spot there. Still a huge impact player for the Jags, just different than what it looked like his rookie season.”
In seven games as a rookie, Hunter had 28 receptions for 298 yards and a touchdown. He also played a significant role on defense, with 15 tackles and three passes defensed.
The Jacksonville Jaguars Can Get Even Better in 2026
Despite winning 13 games and their division, the Jaguars have a clear path to improving even more, perhaps winning the AFC’s No. 1 seed in 2026. The rest AFC South will get tougher, too — the Texans should improve their offensive line and the Colts will get key players back from injury. But this is the Jaguars’ division to defend.
Jacksonville saw steady improvement from QB Trevor Lawrence throughout the season. Another year to work with Coen and settle into the offense, and Lawrence could be playing his best ball in 2026.
Insider Shares Major Update on Jaguars Plans for Travis Hunter in 2026