Jaguars Coach Liam Coen Reveals Plans For 2-Way Superstar Travis Hunter In 2026
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Two-way players who regularly play both offense and defense are extremely rare at the NFL level. That’s why when Travis Hunter entered the league in 2025, there was much fanfare about him. Maybe he’d become one of those rare ones who can truly play both sides regularly.
Hopes were at their highest because he was the winner of the prestigious Heisman Trophy. Unfortunately, during his rookie year, he failed to showcase his talents due to a knee injury. He only appeared in seven contests.
But after a great offseason, would Hunter have another opportunity to play two-way this season? Jaguars head coach Liam Cohen shares his thoughts about it.
Cohen Opens Up About Travis Hunter’s Two-Way Future
During training camp and preseason training, Cohen’s focus was to play Hunter at the cornerback position. That decision reflected on the Jaguars’ preseason games, too. Most of his time on the field was on defense, and his potential in that area showed immensely.
When asked if Travis Hunter’s role this season would primarily be on the defensive side, Cohen gave a non-conclusive answer.
“I’d say not so fast,” Coen said during his appearance on ‘The Rich Eisen Show.’
“Let’s pump the brakes and just give the guy a chance to get back from obviously a pretty serious injury in which he’s worked his tail off to get himself into the position where he can continue to do those things,” he added.
It’s a smart move from the Jaguars. Hunter is still extremely young. There’s no doubt he can be a star on offense. But right now, they would rather take it one game at a time.
Jaguars Still Believe In Hunter’s Two-Way Potential
It’s hard to rely on Hunter’s rookie year campaign to determine his future as a two-way player. The sample size is just too small. Seven games are not enough to make a definite conclusion whether he’ll stick to offense or defense.
Cohen knows that, too. While the team hasn’t determined the exact role on offense that Hunter may play for the Jaguars, they still see value in going that route if there’s an opportunity.
“What the exact number of reps looks like, I can’t say right now, but I do know that he’s a playmaker. He’s somebody that we want to get the ball in his hands, too,” Coen added in the interview.
For now, it looks like the speedy youngster would have to settle at cornerback in the upcoming season. That’s a stark contrast from the plans that the team had for him in the summer.
