The Jacksonville Jaguars are making a significant adjustment to their high-profile two-way star, Travis Hunter, heading into the 2026 season. According to NFL Network insider Cameron Wolfe, the team plans to deploy the former No. 2 overall pick as a full-time cornerback with only part-time duties at wide receiver—a clear shift from his rookie campaign.
Hunter was starting to progress in Jacksonville as a cornerback and wide receiver and looked like a future star. However, in November of 2025, Hunter underwent season-ending knee LCL surgery. Hunter is expected to be fully healthy by week 1 of the season. However, the Jaguars may use him full time on defense, and only part time on offense.
Prior to the injury, he logged 324 offensive snaps compared to just 162 on defense. That balance is expected to flip dramatically this year, with Hunter primarily anchoring the secondary while seeing limited but impactful opportunities on offense.
The Jaguars boast a deep and underrated wide receiver group featuring Jakobi Meyers, Parker Washington, and rising star Brian Thomas Jr., meaning the team has the flexibility to limit Hunter’s offensive snaps. Meanwhile, impending free agency for cornerbacks like Montaric Brown and Greg Newsome opens the door for Hunter to claim a starting CB role. Many scouts believe his elite athleticism and ball skills could make him an All-Pro talent long-term.
For a franchise still building around quarterback Trevor Lawrence, this roster tweak signals smart, flexible planning. Others don’t love the move. Frank Ammirante writes that he hates the trade from a Jaguars perspective based on how the optics look after the change. Noting the Jaguars swapped first-round picks, and gave up one 2nd, and one 4th to move up to draft a cornerback, he adds, “Jaguars fans seem to think this means I’m ripping on their entire team. I agree that they’re Super Bowl contenders. I love their coach and GM. I’m just saying that this Hunter trade has turned out quite poorly. The whole reason to trade up was to get a generational dual-threat. It’s never worth it to trade to 2nd overall for a cornerback.
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