The more time passes, the more it becomes clear that Travis Hunter will probably have to pick a positional lane to enjoy a sustainable, long-term career with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The good news is that the Jaguars, as an organization, seem to realize that. When the Jaguars take on the Carolina Panthers on Friday night, expect to see most of, if not all, of Hunter's snaps to come at cornerback. Hunter will probably barely play receiver, if he even does. Recent practices suggest the Jaguars are more invested in developing Hunter as a cornerback than an offensive playmaker.
Why? Because the Jaguars seem to see the forest for the trees with a talented young player they hope can become a franchise cornerstone.
As head coach Liam Coen explained
earlier this week, Hunter could still play receiver in some capacities, particularly barring any injuries, but the team otherwise plans to use him on the defensive boundary as a corner. It's about preserving the health and sustainability for Hunter to be a field-tilting player for a long time:
Coen on Travis Hunter being listed as a back up receiver on the first depth chart
— SleeperJaguars (@SleeperJaguars) August 17, 2026
"We all know he's our 3a, 3b receiver" pic.twitter.com/Bpadtg09ER
This is likely a sound decision-making process for the Jaguars and Hunter. While Hunter may have been able to thrive as a two-way player in some capacity, there's a reason no one ever really does it in today's NFL. The modern game is too demanding, too taxing, and too complicated for a guy to stay on the field for essentially an entire game, outside of special teams. Players need rest and a decent opportunity to try and master one position before playing multiple.
Who is Travis Hunter a backup receiver for on the Jaguars?
While Hunter is listed as the Jaguars' No. 1 cornerback, he is the backup for receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why isn't Travis Hunter playing receiver anymore for the Jaguars?
