The grim part comes first: Travis Hunter’s rookie year is over after LCL surgery, with a six-month timeline that should put him on track for full football activity ahead of 2026.
The procedure, performed in Dallas by Dr. Dan Cooper with Jaguars team physician Dr. Kevin Kaplan, closed the door on a tantalizing first act and reopened the debate about how, and how much, Jacksonville should use its two-way phenom.
Per the NFL’s Ian Rapoport, the Jaguars do not intend to shelve the experiment. Internally, the plan remains to feature Hunter as both a top wide receiver and a matchup cornerback once he returns, just as the staff was preparing to do before his non-contact practice injury on October 30.
In fact, his role was set to grow on both sides of the ball after a breakout in London against the Rams on October 19, when he tracked Davante Adams effectively on defense and posted career highs on offense with eight catches for 101 yards and his first TD.
The Jaguars had been carving out specific defensive assignments for him, such as red-zone snaps and travel duties on WR1s, while also expanding his target share alongside Brian Thomas Jr., Rapoport reported. Hunter logged 323 offensive snaps and 158 defensive snaps before the injury, and the staff believed a real takeoff was coming.
The arthroscopy ultimately revealed an isolated LCL tear, a relatively clean diagnosis with an expected six-month recovery; Rashee Rice returned well from a similar injury last season, a precedent that offers optimism.
Head coach Liam Coen called post-season role talk “premature,” stressing the focus on the Chargers and noting end-of-year evaluations will dictate where Hunter helps most. The club will keep rehab local so Hunter can work closely with Kaplan.
Not everyone is convinced the two-way approach should continue full-bore. ESPN’s Marcus Spears argued the NFL’s week-to-week attrition makes playing both ways a durability trap, suggesting Jacksonville eventually pick a primary lane and sprinkle in packages rather than ride Hunter for heavy snaps on offense and defense.
