Liam Coen Finally Confirms Plans for Travis Hunter, as Trevor Lawrence Takes Huge Risk vs Panthers

The NFL hasn’t seen a true two-way threat since the days of neon and prime time, a relic so rare. The idea of a player going snap-for-snap on both sides of the ball is the stuff of legends, a feat reserved for a select few enshrined in Canton. Since 1980, only three NFL players have started at wide receiver and cornerback in the same game: Deion Sanders, Champ Bailey, and Antonio Cromartie. That is, until now.

The confirmation came through the well-sourced tweet of Adam Schefter, who reported the Jacksonville Jaguars are planning for Travis Hunter to be an “every-down wide receiver and situational corner” in Sunday’s regular-season opener. It’s a calculated, week-to-week strategy straight from the mind of offensive coordinator Liam Coen.

“We’re going to have to figure it out,” Coen told reporters, emphasizing a need for total flexibility. “We’ll come up with that plan over the next 24 hours in terms like, alright, what are the exact maybe numbers we want to hit on both sides or usage?” The plan is to keep opponents perpetually off-balance, forced to prepare for every possible version of the dynamic rookie.

This level of trust isn’t given lightly. Hunter’s camp was impressive, a near-perfect 50-50 split of 188 offensive and 176 defensive snaps, but it was also interrupted by an upper-body injury. Coen is aware of the immense mental and physical load, noting, “He did miss some time, and so that’s something that we just need to make sure we’re aware of… maybe we need to reel it back a little.” 

While Hunter prepares for his dual-threat debut, the man tasked with getting him the ball is making a bold gamble of his own.

As Lawrence takes a huge risk

For the first time in his professional career, Trevor Lawrence will step onto the field without his playbook wristband.. “First time. First time without it,” Lawrence admitted, acknowledging the weight of the change. “You know, I haven’t worn it in the past. Usually I’ve even worn it in practice and training camp… That’s not the plan right now. The plan is to not wear it.”

Despite a career dotted with challenges a 63.3% completion rate and a 69-46 TD-INT ratio over four seasons, this move signals a belief in a profound leap forward. Now sitting 4th in franchise history for passing yards and touchdowns, Lawrence is betting on himself to elevate from a talented QB to a master conductor.

This decision, championed by Coen, is a huge risk that speaks volumes about the quarterback’s offseason transformation. It’s active learning, forcing a deeper, more instinctual mastery of the playbook. Lawrence is embracing the challenge, understanding that “it really pushes you to even master it even more, to know the game plan.”

The prep is more intense, but the payoff is speed.“When he starts calling a play, you already know what’s coming,” Lawrence explained.“So it’s not like you’re just having to look down and read something… I think it helps you play even faster when you get out there.”

This newfound confidence is the product of a summer spent deeply immersed in Coen’s scheme, a system designed to alleviate the playmaking burden that has rested heavily on Lawrence’s shoulders. The coordinator noted Lawrence was “extremely locked in” and had been “studying the crap out of the plays,” a dedication that manifested in a pristine preseason showing: 14-of-17 for 119 yards and a TD. Shedding the wristband is the final step in this metamorphosis—a declaration that the quarterback who once relied on the crutch of a call sheet has achieved a new level of command.

And with a weapon like Travis Hunter now officially confirmed as a centerpiece, the entire league is watching to see if this boldness will finally catalyze Lawrence’s ascension, as we head to the match with the Panthers.