The Jacksonville Jaguars will need to work on the issues that hurt them in the loss to the Houston Texans in Week 6. They'll have ample time in their BYE. That said, they should also be hyped up that their two-way vision for Travis Hunter is coming to fruition.
Hunter was flourishing as a corner this season but had barely gotten any playing time at corner. That changed in Week 6, and he made the most of it, catching four receptions for 44 yards with his first touchdown of the season. At first glance, that kind of production doesn't pop off the stat sheet, but No. 12 showed his ability to create yards anytime he had the football in his hands.
Travis Hunter breaking tackles left and right out there
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But as impressive as Hunter was in the loss to the Texans, that might've been just a sample of his two-way potential.
Travis Hunter is proving he can play two ways in the NFL
When the Jaguars traded up for Travis Hunter, they said that they expected him to play two-way full-time, arguing that he could change the landscape not just of football but sports as well. The former Heisman Trophy winner did play offense and defense as a rookie but mostly lined up at receiver. He even had his breakout game against the Los Angeles Rams, but a knee injury brought his 2025 season to an end.
The injury raised questions about the two-way. However, Jacksonville made it clear that Hunter would continue to play corner and receiver, but would see more time on defense because of expiring contracts, with Greg Newsome leaving in free agency.
Hunter indeed started at corner to start the season but only had six snaps on offense the first five weeks. He had nine against the Texans. While that doesn't seem like much, he was targeted four times on those nine snaps and made the most of his chances. In the aftermath of the 34-31 loss, head coach Liam Coen said that was the plan all along.
"That was part of the plan, getting him a little bit more involved early made some critical plays for us on both sides of the football. Obviously, had the interception late that gave us a chance to win the game," Coen told reporters after the game. "I'm proud of the way he competed, made some plays for us on offense, and got to keep building off of it. That's kind of who he is. We got to continue to get him the ball and keep building off of it, and making sure it fits within the rhythm and flow of the game."
That actually makes sense. If Hunter has shown out with limited playing time, imagine just how much of a game-changer he'll be if he gets more opportunities on offense.
The Jaguars need to keep using Travis Hunter at corner and receiver
The Jaguars don't really need Travis Hunter on offense because they have Jakobi Meyers, Parker Washington, and the ascending rookie Josh Cameron. That said, they can't just limit him to defense knowing he's a special talent at receiver.
It's worth noting that Brian Thomas Jr. was benched in the second half of the loss to the Texans and no longer appears to have a meaningful role on offense. Whether Jacksonville trades him or not, Hunter could most definitely take on his playing time and targets, and the offense would be better off because of it.
It may have taken a bit longer than expected, but the Jaguars' decision not to waver from their two-way vision is paying off.
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