The Jacksonville Jaguars expect to continue Travis Hunter’s training on both offense and defense once the former No. 2 pick returns from an LCL injury that prematurely ended his rookie season, general manager James Gladstone told reporters Wednesday.
“Very fair to say that his rehab process is going as expected. He’s hitting it hard,” Gladstone said. “Obviously, the joy he brings to the everyday operation is still something that permeates throughout the space that he enters. … We still expect him to play on both sides of the ball.”
Gladstone said Hunter could see more of an emphasis at cornerback, given that the Jags have several players at that position whose contracts expired after the 2025 season, including Montaric Brown, Greg Newsome and Keith Taylor.
The Jags traded up to select Hunter in the 2025 draft, a bold move that showed belief in Hunter’s abilities as both a wide receiver and cornerback. He appeared in seven games as a rookie, recording 28 catches on 45 targets for 298 yards and one touchdown. As a cornerback, Hunter recorded 15 tackles, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
Hunter sustained an LCL injury in his right knee during practice on Oct. 30 and underwent season-ending surgery on Nov. 11. At the time, Hunter was expected to resume “full football activities” within six months.
“The steps that 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 look like on both sides of the ball, being a feature piece on offense and an impact player on defense,” Gladstone said. “It was just disappointing timing, but feel good about where we are heading into this offseason and what next year should hold.”
The Jags traded for receiver Jakobi Meyers in November, in part due to injuries in the wide receiver room. The Jaguars won five of Meyers’ first six games in Jacksonville, helping pave the way to the team’s first playoff appearance since 2022, and the team signed Meyers to a three-year contract extension in December.
Coach Liam Coen wouldn’t specify where Hunter would land on the offensive depth chart upon his return, instead saying, “It’s all part of the evaluation process.”
“For (Hunter) right now it’s about getting his rehab right and diving in mentally because of some of the limitations we’ll have throughout the offseason program,” Coen said. “I’m really excited about getting back to work with Travis and continuing that evolution.”