A lot has been said about Travis Hunter’s role in the Jacksonville system this year. He has been pretty much non-existent in the offense, despite being well-equipped to play wide receiver. The Jaguars coaching staff has been called out for not using the two-way player properly. Head coach Liam Coen fired back with a strong message.
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“He’s a good dude, right? Like, he cares. He cares about winning,” shared Coen during the latest presser on October 2. “That’s what he cares about. And all the other stuff, the reps, where we picked him, does that value? I don’t give two Fs about value. And neither does he. We care about winning. And that’s it.”
Coen was impressed with Hunter’s accountability. Last year against the Bengals, Hunter was controversially flagged for pass interference. He simply addressed it by saying he should have put himself in a better position. He echoed the same thought after he received another penalty against the Broncos this year.
“I think it’s cool to, especially, he played so little last year and then he has to watch. But he got to watch a group of guys come together, a group of guys be extremely accountable, loyal to each other. And I think that can continue to rub off, especially when he’s a good dude, right? Like he cares.”
That support should perhaps quell the growing debate around Hunter’s usage by the team.
Hunter came to the NFL making a name for himself as a star wide receiver and cornerback. The Jaguars have always said that they look to lean on that trait, instead of deploying him to just one side of the ball. However, so far this season, Hunter has recorded only 15 snaps on offense and 111 snaps on defense. He played 42 snaps on defense and only four on offense vs. the Patriots.
The WR room is shaping up in its own way at Jacksonville, and Hunter seems to have been pushed down the depth chart. The charge is currently led by the trio of Parker Washington, Brian Thomas Jr., and Jakobi Meyers. Jacksonville’s increased use of two tight ends has further limited available offensive snaps to Hunter.
For example, tight end Brenton Strange has posted seven catches for 72 yards in three games, while Hunter remains with one catch for eight yards.
The Jags have never said they won’t use Travis Hunter on offense. Perhaps it depends on the situation they are faced with.
“You want to continue to do what we think is going to give us the best chance at winning throughout the course of the week,” he said. “And so, if that’s Travis getting more touches [on offense], then [he] absolutely will.”
For now, the Jags know they have to win, and Travis Hunter is determined to give them those wins, regardless of where he is used.