The Jacksonville Jaguars expected big things from two-way star Travis Hunter when they drafted him second overall in 2025. However, his rookie campaign came to a screeching halt when he suffered a knee injury. While No. 12 is ahead of schedule in his recovery, he'll have a different role next season.
Hunter will continue playing two ways, with the caveat that he'll be a receiver part-time and line up at corner full-time. This isn't necessarily bad news, as having a more defined role will allow him to reach his potential at the NFL level. Moreover, this tweak on his tentative usage for 2026 will pave the way for another Jaguars player to have a bigger impact.
The Jaguars will lean on Brian Thomas Jr., with Travis Hunter playing corner full-time
Dating back to the 2025 deadline, Brian Thomas Jr. has been the subject of trade chatter. While the Jaguars have unequivocally stated that the third-year wide receiver isn't going anywhere, it hasn't been enough to put the rumors to rest.
And while Jacksonville could still trade Thomas if another team makes a jaw-dropping offer, the fact that Travis Hunter will play corner full-time bodes well for him. Sure, No. 12 will continue playing receiver, but the coaching staff can make Thomas a bigger part of the game plan.
Thomas is coming off an underwhelming season. After an electrifying rookie campaign, he was expected to join the top echelon of NFL receivers in 2025 but instead struggled with drops and inconsistency. The fact that the former LSU Tiger dealt with an ankle injury didn't help matters. The silver lining is that he showed improvement in the second half of the year.
Following the season, head coach Liam Coen stated that Thomas was 100 percent part of the team's plans moving forward. And more recently, general manager James Gladstone said that any rumors suggesting the team was shopping him were fraudulent.
But despite the team's attempt to shut down the rumors, the noise hasn't died down, with a league executive saying that he wouldn't be shocked if Jacksonville traded Thomas come Draft Day.
The Jaguars are tentatively keeping Brian Thomas Jr. around
Leaving aside that Brian Thomas Jr. has manageable cap hits of $3.9 million and $4.6 million in 2026 and 2027, respectively, it makes sense to stick with him when you take into account that he had more nearly 1,300 receiving yards with 10 touchdowns as recently as 2024. Simply put, the Walker, Louisiana native has shown the ability to take over games, and the Jaguars think he can do it again.
Heck, the team's brass may feel comfortable with Travis Hunter playing corner full-time precisely because they expect Thomas to bounce back. And if he doesn't, maybe Hunter can see more playing time at receiver.
Now, it's up to Brian Thomas Jr. to repay the team's trust in him. But if he does return to form, the Jaguars could turn into an offensive juggernaut next season.