Travis Hunter returned to Jacksonville practice in a limited role as the Jaguars manage his right knee rehab, getting him work on both offense and defense through walkthroughs and memory-building rather than live reps.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Travis Hunter wasn’t on the field when the Jacksonville Jaguars opened OTAs this week, but he still got his work in—behind a walkthrough wall that turned two separate football worlds into one routine.
The 2024 Heisman Trophy winner and second overall pick in 2025 is recovering from a right knee injury that ended his rookie season. And while the Jaguars have kept him cautious and limited during early phases. Hunter made it clear he’s not worried about how people believe his two-way future will shake out.
“That one works both ways,” Hunter said on Wednesday, speaking publicly for the first time since tearing a ligament in his right knee in October. “They’ve been doing that my whole career.”
On Tuesday, Jacksonville began OTAs with Hunter working in a limited capacity. He wore the same colour jersey as the offence, held a play sheet, and listened to calls through an earpiece. He took part in a few huddles. then split out behind fellow receivers to run a simulated version of the play behind the line of scrimmage.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence described it as more than a token look at practice. “He just needs to memory bank all those things so that when he is back moving around. he’s feeling good. he’s flying around. he has it down. ” Lawrence said. “I think he will. He’s been out there basically in the huddle every play. We’ve got a 12th guy. So, he’s been in the huddle listening. He’s locked in. He’s done a great job.”.
That focus on memory and preparation runs through everything the Jaguars are doing right now. because live reps are what Hunter can’t access yet. He estimates he can “burn out” about 40 reps during a 15-minute session in walkthrough work. a supply of repetition he can build now—while waiting for clearance to get back to the grass.
Coach Liam Coen said the next step is still in the hands of the rehabilitation timeline. “We’re really at the mercy of the rehab and the docs in terms of what that looks like in the next steps of getting out on the grass,” Coen said. “But really feel no pressure. I think he’s done a phenomenal job.”
Coen added that the walkthrough wall has been a way to accumulate reps that Hunter otherwise wouldn’t be getting. “That’s accumulating a ton of reps that he’s not going to be able to get until he is cleared to go,” Coen said.
Hunter’s first chance to address the media came after a breakout performance that suggested Jacksonville’s offence was about to revolve around him. In London against the Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 19. he caught eight passes for 101 yards and a touchdown in a 35-7 loss. and the Jaguars were planning to use him as their No. 1 receiver moving forward.
Then his knee changed everything. Hunter tore his lateral collateral ligament following a bye week and three days before the Jaguars played at Las Vegas, and the team has been careful about his return since.
Part of that caution is explaining why speculation has swirled about what “two-way” will mean once he’s cleared. The Jaguars dispute the idea that Hunter will primarily be used on defence. General manager James Gladstone said in January that he expected Hunter to have a “higher emphasis” on defence in 2026. and NFL Network created a stir by suggesting Hunter might see the majority of his repetitions on defence. Hunter and the team pushed back.
The first on-field workout of OTAs wasn’t a subtle message: Hunter spent it solely with the offence.
Even so, Jacksonville continues to insist Hunter will play both ways when he returns. The Jaguars expect him to be a factor alongside receivers Jakobi Meyers, Brian Thomas Jr. and Parker Washington. They also expect he could be involved as a starting cornerback opposite Montaric Brown. with his ultimate role still to be determined.
Hunter’s plan for OTAs is built around balance. He said he expects to spend equal time on both sides during this phase and believes he’ll be fully cleared by training camp.
“Not being on the field, you can’t retain a lot unless you go in there and be focused and try to learn as much as you can every single day because you’re not getting those live reps,” Hunter said. “I try to sneak in and get as much knowledge as I can from everybody and try to help the younger guys.”
The day also carried a different kind of weight for Hunter. Before practice. he spent time with local high school athletes at a Planet Fitness in Jacksonville to help the gym promote a free summer pass program that allows teens aged 14-19 to work for free beginning in June and running through the end of August.
He joked about how different his own path might have looked. “I wish I would have had this opportunity to be able to come to a gym where I don’t have to pay, don’t have to sign up for anything, just come in and work out, chill with my buddies in the gym, staying out of trouble,” Hunter said.
For now, the Jaguars are asking Hunter to take the long view: keep building reps, keep absorbing plays, and wait for the moment when his body and his work can meet again. When that happens, Jacksonville insists, he’ll be ready to earn his role on both sides—just not yet.
Travis Hunter Jacksonville Jaguars OTAs knee injury right knee lateral collateral ligament Trevor Lawrence Liam Coen James Gladstone 2024 Heisman Trophy 2025 draft pick Jakobi Meyers Brian Thomas Jr Parker Washington Montaric Brown
So he’s like doing practice but not really practicing? OTAs is confusing.
Knee rehab + two-way sounds like the Jaguars are trying to have their cake and eat it too. But honestly if he’s not on live reps yet, how is anyone gonna judge him?
Wait I thought he was already healthy?? Like the headline makes it sound private like a secret playbook or something. But it’s just walkthroughs behind a wall… still kinda sounds like they’re hiding him.
I don’t trust it. If he tore a ligament in October and they’re still doing memory work, that’s not “flying around” yet. Also why does it matter what jersey color he wore? I feel like he’s being protected because they don’t wanna risk the draft pick, which like… fair, but then stop selling it as two-way already.