Travis Hunter Injury News & Updates

The Jaguars plan to continue utilizing Hunter (knee) as their top wide receiver and as a matchup cornerback in 2026, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Before hurting his right knee in an Oct. 30 practice and undergoing season-ending surgery Tuesday to address an isolated ICL injury, Hunter compiled 28 receptions for 298 yards and a touchdown on 45 targets to go with 15 tackles and three passes defensed over the Jaguars' first seven games of his rookie campaign. According to Rapoport, the Jaguars had been preparing for Hunter to handle a heightened role on both sides of the ball in the second half after he delivered his best all-around outing of the season in a loss to the Rams in Week 7, when he excelled in coverage against Davante Adams while finishing with eight catches for 101 yards and a score on offense. Altogether, Hunter played 323 snaps on offense and 158 on defense, and while the ratio may not change in 2026, his overall weekly volume of playing time on both sides of the ball is expected to increase. Because Hunter's knee injury included no damage to other ligaments, he's expected to face a relatively seamless six-month recovery period that should

Hunter underwent season-ending surgery Tuesday to repair the LCL in his right knee, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Hunter was placed on injured reserve Oct. 31, one day after he suffered a non-contact knee injury while playing cornerback during practice. Though the Jaguars relayed that initial tests on Hunter's knee revealed that his ACL was intact, the 22-year-old evidently sustained other ligament damage that required a procedure. According to Rapoport, Hunter is expected to be ready to resume football activities in six months, so the two-way player should be back to full health well in advance of training camp in late July, if not the start of the Jaguars' offseason program in the spring. The No. 2 overall pick will finish his rookie season with a 28-298-1 receiving line on 45 targets to go with 15 tackles and three passes defensed over seven games.

The Jaguars placed Hunter (knee) on injured reserve Friday.

After Hunter was listed as a limited participant Thursday with a knee injury, coach Liam Coen told Demetrius Harvey of The Florida Times-Union on Friday morning that it was non-contact in nature and would result in an IR stint, per Harvey. Adam Schefter of ESPN then reported Friday afternoon that initial tests on Hunter's knee revealed that the ACL was intact, but he'll be evaluated further to determine the extent of the damage, which won't be known until next week. For the time being, Hunter will miss at least the next four games following this transaction, and the Jaguars will be rolling with Brian Thomas, Parker Washington, Dyami Brown and Tim Patrick (groin) at wide receiver moving forward.

Initial testing on Hunter's knee revealed that the wideout's ACL is intact, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Per John Oehser of the Jaguars' official site, coach Liam Coen announced Friday that Hunter is slated to go on IR, which will cause him to miss at least four games. Beyond that, the rookie first-rounder will need to go through additional testing to determine both the extent of his non-contact knee injury, as well as how long he'll be sidelined, with no answers on that front expected before next week. In his looming absence, the Jaguars' top three receivers will likely be Brian Thomas (shoulder), Dyami Brown and Parker Washington.

Coach Liam Coen said Friday that the Jaguars are still trying to determine the extent of the knee injury that is slated to send Hunter to IR, Michael DiRocco of ESPN reports.

With his looming placement on IR in mind, the earliest that Hunter -- who suffered a non-contact right knee injury during Thursday's practice -- could return to action would be Week 13, but it's possible that the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft could miss time beyond that. With regard to that subject, Coen noted Friday "we're currently assessing the injury just to determine the best course of action moving forward for Travis and for the team." In his absence, Brian Thomas, who is managing a shoulder issue, is in line to lead the Jaguars WR corps, while Parker Washington and Dyami Brown are prime candidates to see added snaps/targets moving forward, with Tim Patrick (groin) also in the mix.

Coach Liam Coen announced Friday that Hunter (knee) will be placed on injured reserve, Demetrius Harvey of The Florida Times-Union reports.

Hunter suffered a non-contact knee injury during Thursday's practice, according to Harvey, and will now be forced to miss at least the next four games. The full extent of Hunter's knee injury isn't yet known publicly, but it's obviously a huge loss for Jacksonville after the team had plans to get the rookie more involved on offense following the Week 8 bye. With Hunter sidelined, Brian Thomas (shoulder), Dyami Brown, Parker Washington and Tim Patrick (groin) will handle wideout duties for the Jaguars. Hunter will first be eligible to return in Week 13 against the Titans.

Hunter was limited in practice Thursday by a knee issue.

Hunter wasn't listed on Wednesday's injury report, so it's unclear if his listed limitations a day later are indicative of an issue stemming from the team's first practice or the result of something that cropped up Thursday. In any case, Hunter's status, along with that of fellow WR Brian Thomas (shoulder, limited) must now be monitored ahead of Sunday's game against the Raiders.

Hunter caught eight of 14 targets for 101 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 35-7 loss to the Rams.

The rookie two-way player hauled in his first career TD on a 34-yard toss from Trevor Lawrence. Hunter set new personal bests in catches, yards and targets in the performance, and his volume increase came as Brian Thomas (shoulder) checked in and out of the lineup in the second half. The Jaguars will be on bye in Week 8, but if Thomas' injury proves to be serious, Hunter could be headed for significantly elevated volume in the second half.

Jaguars coach Liam Coen said Wednesday that he plans to design and call more plays with Hunter as the first read, ESPN's Michael DiRocco reports.

Hunter had career highs for snap share (79 percent) and route share (88 percent) in Sunday's loss to Seattle, but his seven targets largely came near the line of scrimmage (4.0 aDOT) and led to a meager 4-15-0 receiving line. He's already getting a few schemed touches each week, yet has a much lower per-route target rate (19 percent) than teammates Brian Thomas (24 percent), Parker Washington (25 percent), Travis Etienne (23 percent) and Bhayshul Tuten (29 percent). The Jaguars could look to get Hunter more deep/intermediate targets, but that won't necessarily be easy to do against a tough Rams defense this Sunday in London.

Hunter brought in four of seven targets for 15 yards and recorded two solo tackles in the Jaguars' 20-12 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday.

After consecutive encouraging performances where Hunter generated a combined 6-106-0 receiving line on eight targets, the rookie second overall pick was back to a very modest, low-upside role Sunday. All but one yard of Hunter's tally came on one catch, underscoring how he didn't have any sort of downfield role. Despite his well-earned college reputation for being an explosive player who can offer plenty in a downfield role, Hunter is surprisingly struck in a very restrictive role despite head coach Liam Coen's typically creative offensive designs.

Hunter brought in all three targets for 64 yards and recorded two solo tackles and a pass defensed in the Jaguars' 31-28 win over the Chiefs on Monday night.

Hunter set a new career high in receiving yards for the second straight game, accomplishing the feat Monday night with the help of a game-long 44-yard catch. The rookie second overall pick also continued his work on defense, posting multiple tackles for the third time this season while also recording the second pass breakup of his nascent career. Hunter has now recorded one reception of 20-plus yards in each of his last three contests, and he'll look to continue his gradual ascension on offense in a Week 6 home clash with the Seahawks.

Hunter caught three of five targets for 42 yards and made two combined tackles (one solo) in Sunday's 26-21 win over San Francisco.

Hunter was involved more on offense than defense Sunday, resulting in his highest yardage total through four pro appearances. The two-way star finished third for Jacksonville in both targets and receiving production. The Jaguars will continue searching for that sweet spot in terms of Hunter's usage on both sides of the ball when the team visits the Chiefs next Monday.

Hunter brought in one of two targets for 21 yards and recorded six tackles (four solo) in the Jaguars' 17-10 win over the Texans on Sunday.

Hunter had a nice splash play on his one reception, his longest gain as a pro yet. However, the rookie also saw his lowest target total to date, leading to new lows in receptions and receiving yards as well. Meanwhile, Hunter was heavily involved on defense, but it would be accurate to say the Colorado product has been a significant disappointment as an offensive player over three games. Trevor Lawrence's own struggles in Liam Coen's offense certainly have a part to play, and perhaps the duo will have better chemistry in a Week 4 road trip to San Francisco.

Hunter secured three of six targets for 22 yards while recording two solo tackles and a defensed pass in the Jaguars' 31-27 loss to the Bengals on Sunday.

Hunter put together another modest showing on offense to open his NFL career, although he was encouragingly third in targets. One of those looks resulted in a first-quarter interception by the Bengals' Dax Hill, and Hunter was ultimately outproduced by Nos. 3 and No. 4 receivers Dyami Brown and Parker Washington in addition to top wideout Brian Thomas. Nevertheless, Hunter's talent isn't going to allow him to be held down for long, and the rookie second overall pick's next opportunity to enjoy his first breakout game as a professional comes in a Week 3 home matchup against the Texans next Sunday afternoon.

Jaguars coach Liam Coen said Wednesday that Hunter will get more snaps on defense in Sunday's game at Cincinnati, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

In the Week 1 win over Carolina, Hunter played 64 percent of Jacksonville's snaps on offense but only 9 percent on defense, catching six passes for 33 yards on a team-high eight targets. He ran a route on 77 percent of Trevor Lawrence's dropbacks, flirting with full-time status in his NFL debut. Additional playing time on defense doesn't necessarily mean less on offense, especially when Hunter is starting at such a low point with the former. He should remain a key part of Jacksonville's offense, regardless of what happens on defense in the coming weeks.

Hunter caught six of eight targets for 33 yards in Sunday's 26-10 win over the Panthers. He added one tackle on defense.

Making his NFL debut, the second overall pick in the 2025 Draft led the Jaguars in receptions, although his longest gain went for only 10 yards and two of his teammates topped him in yardage. Hunter saw most of his action on offense, but his usage at cornerback should increase as the season progresses once he's shown he has the playbook down on offense, something he took a big step toward demonstrating Sunday. Hunter will look to continue building chemistry with Trevor Lawrence on the road in Week 2 against the Bengals.

Hunter is expected to work as an "every-down wide receiver and situational corner" Sunday in Week 1 against Carolina, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

This report affirms Jacksonville's Week 1 depth chart, which lists Hunter as a starter at wide receiver and as a backup at cornerback, per Mia O'Brien of 1010 XL 92.5 FM Jacksonville. Fantasy managers who took a chance on Hunter in drafts should benefit from the rookie two-way player featuring more on offense than on defense, though it will be interesting to see what his final snap counts look like on both sides of the ball. The Jaguars list Brian Thomas Jr. and Dyami Brown as their other starters at wideout.

Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said Wednesday that Hunter (upper body) is healthy and ready to suit up Week 1 against the Panthers, Demetrius Harvey of The Florida Times-Union reports.

Hunter missed Jacksonville's preseason finale due to an upper-body issue, but the team had consistently indicated that the injury was only minor. The rookie first-rounder is ready to make his regular-season debut Sunday, Sept. 7, though it remains to be seen exactly how the Jaguars intend to divvy up his snaps between offense and defense. Hunter has been listed as a starting wide receiver on the Jaguars' unofficial preseason depth charts, but the team's first official regular season depth chart, to be released during Week 1 prep, will provide a cleared indication of the dual-threat playmaker's current standing on both sides of the ball.

Hunter (upper body) won't play against the Dolphins in Saturday's preseason finale, Demetrius Harvey of The Florida Times-Union reports.

The Jaguars are resting their key starters in any case, but Hunter, who has been managing an upper-body injury, worked off to the side Thursday and is viewed as day-to-day. On the plus side, coach Liam Coen noted that if Hunter needed to play this weekend, he could have, which confirms that the rookie WR/CB's injury issue is viewed as being minor. According to Coen, the team's priority "was more just being smart about the next few weeks, because the ultimate goal is" having Hunter ready to face Carolina in Week 1.

Hunter (upper body) remains day-to-day and may return for Thursday's joint practice with the Dolphins, Mia O'Brien of 1010 XL 92.5 FM Jacksonville reports.

He missed a preseason game against New Orleans this past Sunday, after playing with the first-string offense and second-string defense in Jacksonville's exhibition opener. Jaguars coach Liam Coen has been clear since last week that Hunter's injury isn't serious and shouldn't keep him out for long.

Hunter (upper body) will not play in Sunday's preseason game against the Saints.

Hunter is working through an upper-body injury, and the Jaguars will take the cautious route by having the No. 2 overall pick sit out of Sunday's exhibition contest. His injury isn't considered serious at this time, and he could be available to play in the Jaguars' preseason finale against the Dolphins on Saturday. With Hunter, Tyson Campbell (undisclosed) and Montaric Brown (lower leg) all sidelined, Jourdan Lewis, De'Antre Prince and Aydan White are all candidates to get snaps at outside corner with the first-team defense opposite Jarrian Jones on Sunday.

Jaguars coach Liam Coen said Saturday that the starters will suit up for Sunday's preseason game against the Saints, though he did not confirm whether or in what capacity Hunter (upper body) will play, Garry Smits of the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union reports.

Hunter sat out Friday's walk-through practice due to an upper-body injury, though it's worth noting that Coen labeled his absence precautionary. When asked Friday whether Hunter would suit up versus the Saints, Coen said "We'll figure that out, we don't know yet." The rookie first-round pick played 10 snaps on offense (with the first team) and eight snaps on defense (with the second team) during Jacksonville's preseason opener against Pittsburgh, but with starting cornerback Tyson Campbell (undisclosed) currently injured, Hunter could have a path to first-team defensive reps if cleared to play Sunday.

Hunter didn't participate in Friday's walk-through due to an upper-body injury, Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com reports.

Per Mia O'Brien of 1010 XL 92.5 FM Jacksonville, coach Liam Coen noted that Hunter was held out of the session as a precaution. With that in mind, it's unclear if the WR/CB will see action in Sunday's preseason contest against the Saints. For now, consider Hunter day-to-day.

Hunter recorded two catches on two targets for nine yards in Saturday's 31-25 preseason loss to the Steelers.

Hunter was on the field for Jacksonville's opening offensive drive with Trevor Lawrence, playing 10 of 11 snaps. In addition to his stat total, Hunter also caught a screen and slipped a tackle for seven yards that was negated by a penalty. Hunter then briefly went to the sideline, joined the defense and then played eight defensive snaps on the Steelers' second offensive drive. Coach Liam Coen noted that his goal for Hunter moving forward is to play more defensive snaps and provide support in the run game, per Grant Gordon of NFL.com.

Hunter is slated to play both wide receiver and cornerback in Saturday night's preseason opener against the Steelers, Michael DiRocco of ESPN reports.

With the Jaguars in line to play their key healthy players this weekend, Hunter is on track to make his two-way debut as a pro versus Pittsburgh, though it remains to be seen how long the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft will be out there Saturday. On the team's posted unofficial depth chart, Hunter is listed as a starting wideout alongside Brian Thomas and Dyami Brown, and as a second-string cornerback. In any case, it looks like the rookie out of Colorado is poised to see enough snaps and targets on offense out of the gate this season to yield fantasy dividends, while at the same time potentially adding to his value in leagues that also count IDP stats.

Jaguars coach Liam Coen said Monday on The Rich Eisen Show that he thinks it's possible for Hunter to win both Offensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Coen also said that Hunter as a two-way player is "absolutely happening" and "everybody on the building is on board" with a plan to get the most out of the rookie. That doesn't mean the No. 2 overall pick will be a full-time player on both sides of the ball right away, but Coen did say that Hunter has made strides on offense and even mentioned 80 percent snap share as a hypothetical number for Hunter at wide receiver. That's essentially a typical starter's workload, and something close to a best-case scenario for fantasy purposes, potentially allowing Hunter to quickly become Trevor Lawrence's second-favorite target (after Brian Thomas).

Hunter is listed as a starting wide receiver and second-string cornerback on the Jaguars' first unofficial depth chart, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Hunter has been practicing on both offense and defense, as the rookie second overall pick looks to contribute on both sides of the ball in the NFL after doing so successfully in college at Colorado, where he won the Heisman Trophy in 2024. Offense seems to have taken priority over defense so far for Hunter, and his placement on the respective wide receiver and cornerback depth charts supports that assertion. The talented rookie appears poised to play a full-time role on offense out of the gate but may be limited to select packages as a rotational piece in the secondary.

Jaguars coach Liam Coen said Wednesday that Hunter will soon practice on offense and defense on the same day, which will then "kind of become the norm" for the rookie.

Coen wants Hunter to start training camp with a few days only on offense and a few only on defense, before shifting to both on the same day within a week or two. Coen said in April that Hunter would start the offseason program focusing on offense, with subsequent quotes from Jaguars GM James Gladstone suggesting Hunter is more naturally comfortable on defense and needed to focus on learning Coen's playbook. It sounds like Hunter is preparing to play on offense and defense come Week 1, although he might only be a part-time player on one or both sides of the ball.

Jaguars coach Liam Coen said Hunter will start off focusing on offense, John Oehser of jaguars.com reports.

It's music to the ears of fantasy managers and Jaguars fans alike, giving Hunter the chance to earn a starting job on offense and potentially help spark a breakout season for QB Trevor Lawrence. The team wouldn't have given up such a massive haul to move up to No. 2 overall without intent to use Hunter on both sides of the ball, but it's hard to say what that might look like in terms of snap counts (and targets). Jacksonville already has a bona fide No. 1 receiver in Brian Thomas, whose presence arguably reduces the pressure for Hunter to handle large snap counts on offense, although that might not end up mattering long term if Hunter is as good as everyone seems to expect. Coen said Hunter will learn the team's defensive system and take some offseason reps on that side of the ball, even though the Jaguars want offense to be his priority for now.

The Jaguars selected Hunter in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, second overall.

Hunter is arguably the most unique prospect in years, if not longer. A two-way star at Jackson State and Colorado, Hunter was a massively impactful player both at cornerback and at wide receiver. He's the type of talent that inspired the Jaguars to make a massive trade with the Browns for the right to take him second overall. Hunter began his career at Jackson State under coach Deion Sanders and followed him to Colorado in 2023, where he entered the national spotlight. Hunter took his play to another level in 2024 with 16 pass breakups and four interceptions on defense to go with 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns at wide receiver, which ultimately earned him the Heisman Trophy. There's little doubt Hunter can thrive either at corner or at wide receiver. The question now becomes how the Jaguars plan to deploy him. It's largely unprecedented in this era for a player to have full-time roles on both sides of the ball, so Jacksonville will have to carefully craft a plan to maximize his potential. Will h