1 of 5 | Travis Hunter Jr. (R) spent most of his time as a wide receiver during his 2025 rookie campaign with the Jacksonville Jaguars. File Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 14 (UPI) — The Jacksonville Jaguars expect Travis Hunter Jr. to resume two-way playing duties in 2026, despite his injury-shortened 2025 season, general manager James Gladstone announced Wednesday.
Gladstone told reporters he also expects to Jaguars to put a “higher emphasis” on Hunter’s placement as a cornerback due to expiring contracts on the roster.
Hunter, who joined the Jaguars as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, played 324 snaps on offense and 162 on defense during his rookie campaign. He sustained a season-ending LCL injury in his right knee during an Oct. 30 practice.
“It’s very fair to say that his rehab process is going as expected,” Gladstone said. “He is hitting it hard. The joy he brings to the everyday operation is still something that permeates throughout the space that he enters.
“Beyond that, and the role that he’ll play, we still expect him to play on both sides of the ball. Obviously, you can take a peak at expiring contracts on our roster and which side of the ball has more.
“At this point, walking into the off-season, corner is a position that we have a few guys who are on expiring contracts. So by default, you can expect there to be a higher emphasis on his placement.”
Hunter totaled 298 yards and a score on 28 catches as a wide receiver. He registered 15 combined tackles and three passes defensed as a cornerback.
He logged his best performance in Week 7, with 14 targets, eight catches, 101 yards and a score in a loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Hunter never totaled more than one catch and two tackles in the same game during his rookie season.
Gladstone said the plan called for the Jaguars to enhance Hunter’s involvement after their Week 8 bye.
“The steps he was taking by the midpoint of the season really made us feel good about what the back half of the year was going to be on both sides of the ball and what that impact was going to look like being a feature point on offense and an impact player on defense,” Gladstone said.
“It was just disappointing timing, but nonetheless, we feel good heading into the off-season and what next year should hold.”
Despite missing Hunter for their final 10 regular-season games, the Jaguars finished 13-4 to win the AFC South division title. Their postseason run ended with a 27-24 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the wild card round Sunday in Jacksonville, Fla.
The Jaguars traded veteran cornerback Tyson Campbell, who started in Week 1, to the Cleveland Browns in October in exchange for cornerback Greg Newsome II.
Newsome appeared in 12 games, with 11 starts for the Jaguars. Fellow veteran Jourdan Lewis appeared in 12 games, with seven starts, but sustained a season-ending foot injury in December. Second-year cornerback Jarrian jones started was active for all 17 games, with three starts.
Montaric Brown, Keith Taylor and Christian Braswell were among the Jaguars’ other cornerbacks in 2025.
Lewis signed a three-year, $30 million extension in March. Jones is signed through 2027. Newsome, Brown and Taylor are set to become unrestricted free agents this off-season. Braswell is on track to become a restricted free agent.
Jaguars coach Liam Coen also spoke Wednesday about Hunter’s placement. He did not commit to using Hunter as the Jaguars’ No. 1 wide receiver.
“I think it’s all part of this evaluation process,” Coen said. “I never really look at anybody as 1, 2 or 3. It’s who we have on the roster that is going to be active and that we can continue to work with and prepare through the off-season program with.
“For him right now, it’s about getting his rehab right and diving in mentally because of some of the limitations we’ll have throughout the off-season program. But I’m really excited about getting to work with Travis and continue that evolution and see what that looks like.”
Cornerback will likely be one of the Jaguars’ top needs this off-season, but they likely will need to address the position in free agency. The team doesn’t don’t have a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft due to their trade for the right to acquire Hunter at No. 2 overall during the 2025 NFL Draft.
Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen (17) is pushed into the end zone for a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars in an NFL wild-card playoff football game at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida on Sunday, January 11, 2026. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo
