3 Immediate Takeaways on Travis Hunter's Season Ending

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Travis Hunter's rookie season is officially over.

After a non-contact injury leading up to Week 9's battle against the Las Vegas Raiders, Hunter was placed on injured reserve and the Jacksonville Jaguars prepared for life without Hunter for an extended period of time. Now, Hunter's season has officially ended after news of surgery on his right knee.

"Earlier today, Jaguars WR/DB Travis Hunter underwent successful surgery to repair an isolated lateral collateral ligament (LCL) injury in his right knee," the Jaguars said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Beyond the LCL, there was no additional damage to the knee, which Hunter injured during practice on Oct. 30. The procedure was performed by Dr. Dan Cooper and Jaguars team physician, Dr. Kevin Kaplan, in Dallas. Hunter, 22, will miss the remainder of the 2025 season, but is expected to return within six months to full football activities.

So, what do we make of the Hunter injury update? We break it down below.

This is a major blow to struggling team

Nov 9, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen reacts on the sidelines during the first half against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The Jaguars have clearly missed Travis Hunter's spark on both sides of the ball in the two weeks since he has been injured. Hunter's trajectory as a wide receiver was pointing upward after his performance vs. the Los Angeles Rams, even if it was still a projection. Without him, the Jaguars have lacked explosiveness and seperation ability in the wide receiver room.

Perhaps the biggest loss is on the defensive side of the ball, where injuries have struck the Jaguars' secondary. Hunter was not getting a ton of defensive reps but recent games showed flashes of ability that nobody else in the Jaguars' secondary -- even when healthy -- has. For a pass defense under siege, this is a significant loss.

Hunter trade will be a hot topic all offseason

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) reacts to a tackle during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Texans 17-10. The Jaguars defeated the Texans 17-10. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Don't expect this offseason to be a quiet one for the Jaguars, who do not own their first-round pick as a result of the Hunter trade. The Jaguars are the No. 7 seed in the AFC as things stand today, but it is not out of the realm of reality for the pick to potentially be a top-15 one. For a Jaguars team with a lot of holes, that will loom large.

And, of course, the discourse around the Hunter trade will certainly be slanted away from the Jaguars. Yes, he had terrific flashes. Yes, he is not suffering from a long-term injury and should be back as good as new. And yes, this was always a long-term pick. But regardless, the Jaguars' first seven-game sample size with Hunter was bumpy in terms of the process and provided few answers for those outside the building.

Where Hunter, Jaguars must go from here

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) walks to greet fans after the game of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Panthers 26-10. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The most disappointing aspect of Hunter's injury is the timing. It looked like the Jaguars were going to put more on Hunter's plate in the passing game on offense, while he was geniunely getting better and better on defense with each passing week. After just seven games, though, it is hard to say the Jaguars have a nailed-down answer as to how to best utilize their rare player.

The Jaguars and Hunter must attack this question early this offseason and then not stray from it. Asking a player to start on both sides of the ball seemed to be more of a difficulty from the aspect of learning two schemes as opposed to conditioning and physical ability, but there is a legit question as to whether the Jaguars are getting the most out of Hunter by not having him specialize at one of the two positions.

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