Hunter almost exclusively on defense last 2 weeks

Shipley leaves the light on for offensive contributions, entertaining the idea that Hunter can chip in “a few hundred yards and a few touchdowns” this season as well. That said, the early indications for Hunter’s FLEX viability in managed leagues are pretty bleak. Stash him if you wish, but understand that starting him in Week 1 against the Browns could result in zero points.

To be clear, Thomas is the starting X-receiver and Hunter is rotating in behind him. Hunter has also been taking more defensive snaps lately, so if he is going to maintain an offensive role, a simplified downfield role makes sense. Regarding Thomas, DiRocco adds that he “was arguably the best player on the field” during organized team activities, has had a “great” training camp and is “showing some of the toughness and ball security that seemed to be missing last season.” With all of that in mind, losing snaps in three-wide receiver sets is a bit surprising. Thomas is extremely talented, but obvious questions remain as to his usage in the upcoming season. A boom-bust WR3 season could be on the way.

It was suggested by Sports Illustrated’s John Shipley that the Jaguars could be “tipping their hand” here, as he writes “it is clear the Jaguars believe they need to devote more practice time with Hunter before Week 1 at cornerback, which could be the biggest signal yet that the majority of his snaps against the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 13 will be at cornerback.” Hunter will likely still be involved in the offense — he has worked with the offense every day before this — but it is notable that there was a shift here. Hunter will likely be just a dart throw WR5/WR6 in most standard leagues this year.

That would mean Thomas is set to play on the outside at the line of scrimmage. Parker Washington will presumably play in the slot with Jakobi Meyers and Travis Hunter fighting for flanker duties. As Wolfe notes, Liam Coen learned last year that going over the middle of the field and taking hits isn’t BTJ’s thing. Instead, he will likely be tasked with winning deep and beating man coverage. Wolfe noted Liam Coen’s roots in the Rams’ offense and compared BTJ’s role to that of Brandin Cooks and Sammy Watkins when they played in LA. Cooks topped 1,200 receiving yards in his first season with the Rams but fell below 600 in his second and final season with the team. Watkins, meanwhile, played just one season in LA and was also held under 600 yards. All signs point to Washington being the team’s No. 1 receiver this year.

Talking with Peter Schrager on his podcast, Coen almost laughed at the idea that Hunter might play exclusively on one side of the ball this year. Early offseason reports suggested Hunter might play primarily on defense after suffering a season-ending injury during his rookie season. Every subsequent report from local beats and all the quotes from the coaching staff have made it clear that Hunter remains a two-way player. Coen did note that they are still determining how much he will play on both sides of the ball, but it sounds like a part-time role on offense is the floor. Given the barrage of information suggesting Hunter will play on offense, a WR57 price tag for last year’s No. 2 overall continues to look absurdly cheap.

Hunter is working his way back from a 2025 knee injury and is expected to be a full go for the beginning of training camp, according to Wolfe. The 23-year-old is still going to play both sides of the ball, though Wolfe stated Hunter can be “unleashed” as a starter on defense and “the goal is to eventually have him play nearly all the snaps on defense in a particular game.” The Jaguars seem to like Hunter much better as a cornerback but he will still play offense with his wide receiver snaps fluctuating depending on the game. Hunter is attending meetings for both sides of the ball and will presumably practice both sides come training camp. He is expected to be healthy and ready to go by the time Jags veterans report to training camp in late July.

Ensuring the listening audience knew he was not a doctor, Coen said during a Tuesday radio interview that he’s unsure as to when Hunter, recovering from a 2025 knee injury, will be able to join live reps at Jaguars offseason practices. Noting Hunter’s bulked-up upper body, Coen said Hunter would continue to grind tape and learn offensive and defensive schemes on screen while recovering. Coen described Hunter’s injury as a “minor setback for a major comeback.” Jaguars beat writers have been adamant that Hunter will play both sides of the ball once again in 2026 after recording 28 receptions for 298 yards and a touchdown over seven games as a rookie. He would likely profile as the team’s third or fourth pass-catching option when healthy.

Speaking on The Rich Eisen Show, Gladstone also noted that he expects Hunter’s usage at cornerback to rise. Hunter played 324 snaps on offense last year compared to just 164 on defense. If we’re taking Gladstone at face value, the reports of Hunter’s demise at wide receiver have been greatly exaggerated. Hunter appeared to be on the precipice of a breakout before going down with a season-ending knee injury. The team talked up his abilities as a receiver days before he posted an 8-101-1 receiving line versus the Rams. Jacksonville’s crowded receiving room may prevent him from being an every-down receiver this year, but he should still hold some fantasy value in his second season.

NFL reporters and commentators who have suggested the Jaguars will shift Hunter to play mostly cornerback in 2026 and beyond are “completely misrepresenting” comments made by general manager James Gladstone and other front office officials, Shipley said. A lack of “media literacy,” Shipley said, has led league observers to incorrectly believe Hunter’s time as a full-time wideout are over. “At zero point have the Jaguars ever once indicated he will not play both ways, just as he did last year,” Shipley said, adding that head coach Liam Coen has “embraced the disrespect” of reporters who intentionally misinterpret what Jacksonville’s front office says. “He will just play more cornerback.” Hunter in 2025 averaged four receptions and 42 yards per game before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 7. Hunter’s offseason and preseason usage could provide some clues as to how he will be deployed in 2026. Those discounting his role as an every-down receiver may be proven wrong if Shipley is right.

This isn’t the first time it has been reported that Hunter will serve primarily as a corner in 2026. NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reported similar back in February, but Hunter is still expected to have a minor role on offense. The Jaguars are three deep at receiver with Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, and Jakobi Meyers all on the roster. The decision to move Hunter to corner, where he allowed just nine catches on 15 targets while appearing on 120 coverage snaps, addresses a more pressing need for the Jags, who lost starter Greg Newsome earlier this offseason in free agency.