Trevor Lawrence Takes Matters In His Own Hands After Jaguars & Travis Hunter Receive Bad News

In a sea of outstanding freshmen, Trevor Lawrence remains the No.1 true freshman of the 2000s. That Clemson run in 2018 wasn’t just magic – it was a warning to college football. Unbeaten. Unbothered. Though that magic is yet to be seen in the NFL. The league hasn’t yet given him a confetti shower, but he isn’t sitting around waiting for miracles in 2025. He’s working hard. Forming bonds in the locker room. And he’s slowly dragging the Jaguars into relevance – one Bahamas training trip and handshake at a time.

It wasn’t only for the cameras when Lawrence and rookie star Travis Hunter shared their now-famous handshake. It was the result of days spent in paradise with a goal in mind: working on timing, building trust, and getting ready for a season that might define their respective NFL careers. And now? Trevor’s putting it all out there. Literally.

Trevor Lawrence recently dropped a silent mic on Instagram. A carousel of three pictures that conveyed how the Jaguars are preparing for this season. In the first image, he is running – clean, crisp, and like he’s racing toward something (maybe that Lombardi). The next two, in black and white, strip away any flash. In one, he is seen throwing the ball. The other? Locked in with Johnny Mundt, Cameron Little, and Brenton Strange during drills. Just straight-up work. The caption? “Good things happen when preparation meets opportunity.“ Classic Trevor. Understated yet intentional. And probably not a coincidence.

Because what Jaguars fans have seen more recently isn’t the 2022 version of him – 25 passing touchdowns, 5 rushing touchdowns, and 12th in fantasy points. His play from 2023 was better, but quieter. The wheels kind of wobbled off in 2024. A late-season concussion, a shoulder injury in Week 9, and five games in which he failed to pass for 200 yards or more. Trevor Lawrence wasn’t that man. That was a placeholder wearing his jersey.

So, yes, it feels different this offseason. The post wasn’t just a training flex; it was a reset button. A not-so-subtle reminder that he’s not here to be a middle-tier QB with pretty hair and lost potential. He’s here to finally become the guy Jacksonville thought they were getting. And it starts by making the grind visible. But while Trevor was busy sending silent signals, his new handshake buddy – Travis Hunter – was getting a dose of NFL reality. 

Travis Kelce warns Travis Hunter

The warning came with $46.65 million guarantee. That’s right, the Jaguars finally locked up their No. 2 overall pick, handing him a deal that’s not just fully guaranteed, but historic. A $30.57 million signing bonus – paid up front. But that money comes with a lot of pressure. About surviving the double life. Because Jacksonville doesn’t just want Hunter to be a star receiver. They want him to also hold his own at cornerback. Just like he did in Colorado.

Only problem? The NFL isn’t exactly built for two-way stars. Just ask Travis Kelce, who didn’t hold back while talking about Hunter on Bussin’ With The Boys. “See, that’s the thing. I don’t know how they’re going to divvy it out. I don’t know because teams are going to be going after him. They’re going to try and make his day miserable.” 

Kelce wasn’t trying to ruin the hype around Hunter. He was laying out facts. “Dude, if he plays corner, they’re just going to run deep balls at him all day,” he added. “The wide receivers just take off on him all day. Just to try to get him tired. Why wouldn’t you just attack him that way?” And while Kelce isn’t wrong, he’ll get a front-row seat to find out. The Chiefs visit Jacksonville for Monday Night Football in Week 5 on October 6. If Hunter’s legs are toasted by halftime or if he shuts down Kelce’s teammates and scores himself, well, someone’s going to be replaying this podcast clip in slow motion.

Hunter’s already splitting reps at both spots in OTAs, and head coach Liam Coen made it clear that’s the plan for training camp too. “He’s learning a complex offensive system with a ton of moving parts,” Coen said. “He’s learning a brand new defense and also playing in the National Football League for the first time in his life… I think he’s getting along really well with the guys.” So yeah, high ceiling, insane workload, and a target on his back. Welcome to the NFL, Travis.