After an impressive 2025, the Jacksonville Jaguars will need to replenish the roster in the NFL draft if they want to keep up in the AFC arms race. Working in their favor is that they'll have plenty of continuity, something they've lacked in past years.
Liam Coen is entering his second season as the head coach. With a better grasp of the job, he should do an even better job. Trevor Lawrence, for his part, is coming off the best season of his career but will need to show that he can play at a high level year in and year out. On the other hand, the defense has still enough talent even after linebacker Devin Lloyd left in free agency.
If that wasn't enough, the Jaguars will get Travis Hunter back. The former Heisman Trophy winner showed promise as a rookie, but a knee injury brought his first NFL season to an abrupt end. It's fair to say that his recovery is one of the biggest storylines surrounding Jacksonville this offseason. This is why it was refreshing to hear James Gladstone's latest update.
The Jaguars expect Travis Hunter to be limited in the offseason program
James Gladstone, along with Liam Coen, met with the local media ahead of the NFL Draft and said that Travis Hunter is expected to be limited in the offseason program and be at full strength by training camp. Here's the skinny:
"Yeah, he'll be in all for all intents and purposes, a limited participant throughout the offseason program with eyes on return to play at full tech and training camp," Gladstone said when talking about Hunter's recovery.
Hunter originally suffered a knee injury in practice ahead of the Week 9 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Not long after, he was placed on the Injured Reserve and underwent LCL surgery. Just recently, head coach Liam Coen said that he's ahead of schedule, and based on Gladstone's latest comment, it seems like the former Colorado Buffalo hasn't dealt with a setback.
The Jaguars won't be rushing Travis Hunter back
The Jaguars made a big investment in Travis Hunter last year, trading up first and second round picks to select him second overall. For this reason, they probably won't want him back on the field unless he's 100 percent or as close as possible. After all, if the coaching staff thrusts him into action before he's ready, he runs the risk of getting hurt again.
Sure, Hunter is a competitor, so he'll want to join his teammates as soon as possible. On the other hand, he's surely aware that he's better off sticking to the process and focusing on the finer points of his game. Once the West Palm Beach, Florida native is at full strength, he can lean on the athletic skills that made him a star at the collegiate level.
Based on James Gladstone's latest update, Travis Hunter is trending in the right direction. And if he picks up where he left off last year, he could turn the Jaguars into a legit contender.