3 Things That Impacted Travis Hunter's Role With Jaguars

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars have quite a way to go until the 2026 season kicks off, but that hasn't stopped certain topics from dominating the conversation.

Amongst those topics? Second-year two-way player Travis Hunter, the No. 2 pick from a year ago who will once again play both cornerback and wide receiver for the Jaguars in 2026. The level to which that ratio ends up, though, remains to be seen.

All indications are that Hunter is set to play more cornerback for the Jaguars this season than he did a year ago, when he played twice as many snaps at wide receiver as at cornerback.

But how did the Jaguars get to the point where Hunter makes more sense as a cornerback? We discuss this and more in today's episode of the Jacksonville Jaguars Insider Podcast.

Watch today's episode below

Parker Washington's Ascencion

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington (11) runs during the third quarter in an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Bills lead 10-7 at the half over the Jaguars. The Bills defeated the Jaguars 27-24. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This is arguably the biggest reason Hunter now makes more sense at cornerback than at wide receiver. Even with the Jakobi Meyers trade, the Jaguars could have still used another impact receiver next season if not for what Washington did last year. Washington went on to lead the team in receiving and can't be placed anywhere but the starting lineup in 2026.

The fact Washington plays the same position that Hunter did in the Jaguars' offense at slot receiver likely also has something to do with this. Thanks to what Washington offered last year, Hunter could be seen as a bonus on offense as opposed to needed on defense.

Jakobi Meyers Trade

The Jakobi Meyers' trade certainly made the Jaguars' offense look different after the trade deadline. Meyers became a huge piece of the Jaguars' passing game after the franchise traded for him, playing a massive role both in the red-zone and in the middle of the field -- two areas the Jaguars were previously lacking in.

The Jaguars then gave Meyers an extension before the year ended, ensuring he would go into next season as a starting receiver. That isn't something the Jaguars had when they drafted Hunter outside of Brian Thomas Jr. and Dyami Brown, the latter of whom did not make it half the season as a starter.

Tyson Campbell/Greg Newsome Trade

When the Jaguars drafted Hunter, they had more depth at cornerback than wide receiver considering they had Tyson Campbell, Jourdan Lewis, Montaric Brown, and Jarrian Jones in the fold. This would certainly change over the course of the season, with the Jaguars trading Campbell to the Cleveland Browns in the days after the Jaguars' Monday Night Football win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Trading Campbell meant moving on from the team's biggest investment at cornerback, opening up a clear hole at the position. And while Newsome gave the Jaguars some quality snaps, it seems unlikely he is re-signed this season and, as a result, still leaves a hole at cornerback that has to be filled.

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