The 5 Biggest Risks the Jaguars Are Taking in 2026

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- No risk, no reward. That is often true in the world of the NFL, where a few plays and bounces of the ball a game determines the winner each and every week.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are not prone to taking risks, especially under the Liam Coen/James Gladstone/Tony Boselli era. The Travis Hunter blockbuster trade last year was one of the most aggressive moves any front office has made in recent memory, and they have made it clear they are not going to play it safe just for the sake of doing so.

We will see how the Hunter bet starts to pay off this season as he is expected to take over as the Jaguars' No. 1 cornerback, but he is far from the only leap of faith the Jaguars have taken ahead of 2026.

What are the other biggest risks the Jaguars are taking this year, and what do they all mean moving forward? We break it down below.

The Pass-Rush Plan

Even Jaguars general manager James Gladstone noted after the draft that the Jaguars' pass-rush does not look much different now than it did at the end of last season. The Jaguars are banking once-again on their big-money defensive end duo of Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, while also hoping improved play in the secondary can boost the pass-rush. Is that the right call over making significant moves to address their depth, though?

It is not as if the Jaguars did not draft defensive end depth, but both picks came on Day 3 with fourth-rounder Wesley Williams and seventh-rounder Zach Durfee. Add in second-year defensive ends Danny Striggow and B.J. Green, and these are four young pass-rushers the Jaguars will need to grow up quickly.

The RB Room

jacksonville jaguar — Jacksonville Jaguars running back LeQuint Allen (36) and running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) look on during a rookie minicamp at Miller Electric Center Saturday, May 10, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Travis Etienne had arguably the best season of his career in 2025, and he was the offense's MVP through their 4-3 start. He signed a big deal with the New Orleans Saints this offseason when it became clear the Jaguars would not offer the same, however, and the Jaguars are now looking to replace nearly 1,400 yard from scrimmage and a team-leading 13 touchdowns.

The Jaguars are clearly making a bet at the running back position, leaning into three different players in Bhayshul Tuten, Chris Rodriguez Jr., and LeQuint Allen to combine their production to replace Etienne. The trio is cheaper together than Etienne is alone, and flashes from each of them in the NFL so far suggest the Jaguars could be making the right call -- but it is still a risky one.

The BTJ Plan

The time for Brian Thomas Jr. to bounce back is now. The Jaguars went through the bulk of the offseason and then the entire NFL draft without trading Thomas, which was far from surprising, of course. The Jaguars have said on the record numerous times that they do not have interest in trading Thomas, who is their most explosive downfield threat and is just a season removed from a record-breaking rookie season.

With that said, the Jaguars are running the risk of perhaps missing out on a chance to get significant draft capital. The Jaguars could reexamine the Thomas market around the trade deadline and could still flip him for a top pick if that is the path they deem necessary, but by not moving him this offseason they could see him have another down season and lose trade value.

The Jaguars are, for my money, making the right call on Thomas. They are better off with him than without. That does not mean there is not risk involved with that decision, however.

The Travis Hunter Role

There will be plenty of debate on what the Jaguars should do with Travis Hunter for, likely, the rest of his career. But it certainly appears we know what the Jaguars see as the best vision for Hunter in 2026, which is atop the team's cornerback depth chart. That is not to say he will be phased out or minimized on offense, but there will be a concentrated effort to display him as the team's No. 1 cornerback.

Is this the right path for Hunter? That remains to be seen, and there is certainly risk involved just in terms of the unknown. Hunter played twice as many snaps on offense as defense last season, and we saw limited glimpses of him as an every-down corner. His skill-set and rookie flashes suggest he will thrive, but there is always the risk that perhaps there is another way to utilize Hunter more efficiently.

The Jaguars are making the most logical move for Hunter considering the depth they have at wide receiver, of course. But for the price they gave up to land Hunter at No. 2 overall last year, they will have to hope they are right.

The LB Room

ventrell mille — Sep 7, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Ventrell Miller (51) against the Carolina Panthers at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images | Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

The Jaguars are in many ways approaching running back and linebacker in the same fashion. Like at running back, the Jaguars' linebacker room lost its most productive player to free agency when Devin Lloyd signed with the Carolina Panthers. The difference here is that the Jaguars have at least made a notable addition at running back to help replace Travis Etienne's production with the signing of Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Linebacker did not have such a move made at it, with the only new face in the room currently being seventh-round Middle Tennessee State linebacker Parker Hughes. Instead, it appears the Jaguars are going to lean on fourth-year veteran and long-time backup Ventrell Miller to be their starter next to Foyesade Oluokun.

Jacksonville demonstrated some confidence in Miller even before they opted not to add a linebacker early in the draft, and it is worth remembering that Miller battled Lloyd for the starting job last season. It is also worth remembering that with the high volume of three-safety packages the Jaguars run, Miller might play closer to 75% of the snaps than 100%. Still, it is a bold bet on a player who has never been a weekly starter.

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