RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesJacksonville Jaguars two-way player Travis Hunter trotted off the field and ripped off the white jersey that covered his teal practice jersey on the first day of Jaguars camp on July 29.
After a short check-in with wide receivers coach Edgar Bennett, he ran on the field with his hand held high to let his offensive teammates know he’d be replacing them.
One play later, he was exiting the field and slipping the white jersey back over his head to go back on the defensive side of the ball. That’s the life of Hunter as he reacclimates to the practice field after an LCL injury in late October sidelined him for the last nine months.
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“How do we balance his reps here, knowing that we're trying to ease him in,” head coach Liam Coen said of Hunter after practice. “But he also, at some point, needs to get double the amount that a normal player gets.”
Hunter worked directly with Bennett during both special teams periods, getting a chance to get personal guidance on routes and using the full allotment of practice time in a useful manner.
He spent the individual position group period with the defensive backs, an inverse of what we typically saw last season and an expected step as the team prepares for Hunter to shoulder a large load of the defense by the time the regular season starts.
Travis Hunter with the DBs now pic.twitter.com/ksPIEmrEjT
— Jamal St. Cyr (@JStCyrTV) July 29, 2026 Even during the positional work, Hunter got individual coaching from defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile who pulled him aside to coach individually for a few reps.
Hunter spent most of his time on the defensive side of the ball once the team transitioned to 11-on-11 work. He had 12 snaps total, per the tracking of the Times-Union , with eight on defense and four on offense.
Travis Hunter nearly makes highlight catch on opening day of training camp
Hunter nearly had the play of the day when he sprung into the air to secure a pass from Trevor Lawrence. The second-year player high pointed the ball and pirouetted mid-air before coming down in bounds. However, fellow second-year player Jabbar Muhammad knocked the ball out of his hands as he landed.
It was still a play that Coen was impressed with, showing that Hunter is feeling natural and able to make the caliber of plays that he did before his injury.
“I was pleased to see him go up with no fear and just go up and try to make a great play,” he said.
Lawrence took ownership for the incompletion, but noted that it was good to throw to him in live periods again.
“Kind of missed a throw behind him a little today,” he said. “Just good to see him back out there and he looks good. He's flying around. Seeing him play both sides is just always pretty cool.”
Defensively, Hunter’s best play was a pass breakup on rookie receiver Josh Cameron. There was another play where Hunter was guarding a receiver and recognized that the ball was in the air, so he broke off and stepped up to contend a potential catch.
The ball fell to the turf, ultimately, but it’s assumed that if it was an actual game Hunter would’ve laid out for the pass and come away with an interception.
It was a play that showed how much mental work he’s put in off the field as he recovered physically. The coaching staff talked about how much time he spent in Jacksonville’s virtual meeting room this offseason and that work showed up on the first day of camp as he didn’t look like a player who missed the entirety of the offseason program.
The Jaguars have put a lot of work into Travis Hunter’s schedule
During Coen’s media availability he took a colorful, folded piece of paper out of his pocket. He told reporters it’s the practice schedule and Hunter’s reps are highlighted on every schedule.
They track where he’s supposed to be and have his plan in place through mock game on Aug. 7.
“We've been extremely intentional about it. So there are no hiccups, miscommunication, and just everybody's got confidence knowing exactly where he's at,” Coen said. “What plays he, is he in on? Being intentional about getting him the exact reps that he really needs from a learning progression standpoint.”
The team has established a full system for Hunter to continue playing on both sides of the ball. It includes coaches and training staff and, obviously, Hunter always being on top of his game.
After positional group work concluded, Hunter walked across the practice field on the far side of the Miller Electric Center and met a trainer who handed off his gloves to him. He didn’t need them for his defensive back work but uses them while working as a wide receiver.
He immediately went to find Bennett as the team broke off for special teams’ work, initially following him to the end zone closest to the stands before relocating between groups where they could work on routes unimpeded.
His switching between offense and defense during team periods requires someone always keeping his white practice jersey. He has to know where the person is so he can slip the jersey on and off between plays.
It’s a lot of work, but the Jaguars and Hunter are committed to it. Especially as he tries to capitalize on some of the missed reps from this offseason.
“I think he's going to go into the season feeling more confident in what he's been able to put on his body, for armor purposes and physicality,” Coen said. “He's got to get in football shape, that's for sure. But it's exciting to see.”
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Travis Hunter's return to the field is a team effort for the Jaguars
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