Report: Jaguars plan to 'switch' Travis Hunter's role in 2026

It sounds like Travis Hunter will have a bit of a new role in 2026 for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Coming off an AFC South title and playoff appearance, the Jaguars want more and so does their former No. 2 overall pick.

But playing both ways at Colorado and winning the Heisman is what made Hunter special going into the pros. He did just that last year for Jacksonville, but just for seven games before an injury shut him down for the remainder of the year.

NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reported the Jaguars are set to switch up Hunter’s role for 2026. It looks like he’ll focus on one side of the ball a little bit more.

“They’re coming off a magical season, and they think 2026 can be even better, because they get their unicorn back,” Wolfe said on NFL Network. “Travis Hunter is expected to be 100%, full-go, by Week 1. He had surgery on the LCL in his knee. He will play both sides again in 2026. The big change may come in the usage, from what I understand, they plan to play him as a full-time cornerback, a part-time receiver, which is a switch from last year, when he played more than double of his snaps at receiver than cornerback. 

“I hear fantasy football fans groaning. They think Travis Hunter can be elite at cornerback and still be an impact player on offense. They also have Montaric Brown and Greg Newsome at cornerback, about to be free agents. They’re expected to let at least one of those cornerbacks walk in free agency. So Travis Hunter can have that starting spot there. So still a huge impact player for the Jags, just different than what it looked like his rookie season.”

Hunter finished the year with 28 catches for 298 yards, one touchdowns and 10.6 yards per catch. On defense, he had 15 tackles and three pass deflections.

“Feel bad for the guy, for the kid, for our team, for everything, but he’s in good spirits right now. Minor setback for a major comeback. That’s just the way it’s got to be,” Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said in October, following Hunter’s season-ending knee surgery. “It is definitely not ideal timing.

“… Not that any injuries are ever ideal timing, but got to believe the makeup, his general attitude towards life and how he handles dealing with specific situations—I have a lot of belief in Travis as a person, as a competitor, to come back better than ever.”

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence previously raved about Hunter’s abilities. He and others look forward to next year when he returns.

“He’s so special when he gets opportunities downfield or just catches the ball underneath,” Lawrence said. “He can make people miss [tackles] and turn five-yard passes into 25-yard gains because he’s so good with the ball in his hands. He has so much talent.”