Jaguars weigh increased cornerback role for Travis Hunter in 2026

The Jacksonville Jaguars are weighing a larger cornerback role for Travis Hunter as they finalize 2026 plans. Team officials signaled in January that his defensive snaps are expected to rise amid expiring deals in the secondary. Hunter played both ways as a rookie before a torn LCL ended his season. The deployment decision has become one of the most-watched questions around the 2025 draft class.

As a rookie, Hunter logged 459 total snaps, with 66% coming at wide receiver. The Jaguars now appear set to lean more on his coverage skills while managing his overall workload. Internally, the expectation is not to eliminate his offensive role but to rebalance how and when he is used to protect his availability and sharpen his technique at cornerback.

Jacksonville’s offseason choices point in the same direction. The team extended one cornerback on an expiring deal, Montaric Brown, but allowed Greg Newsome II to depart and replaced depth with undrafted free agents. That pattern suggests confidence in Hunter taking on a larger share of defensive work, supported by a rotation that limits the need for any one corner to play every snap.

Hunter’s role likely shifting toward defense

Officials indicated the “percentile and count” of Hunter’s cornerback usage should climb in 2026. A reasonable projection is a flip from last year’s split, with roughly two defensive snaps for every offensive snap. That balance would emphasize steady development at corner while preserving select offensive touches that can stress coverages.

Defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile’s rotation supports this kind of targeted deployment. Last season, Newsome rarely played every defensive snap, as a group including Brown, Jarrian Jones and Jourdan Lewis allowed for matchup-based substitutions and fresher legs. According to internal evaluations of 2025 usage, Newsome logged 518 snaps, offering a template role Hunter could inherit without being overextended.

That approach aligns with Hunter’s profile. His lean frame, sudden change of direction and balance through contact give him the traits of a high-ceiling cornerback. The organization views sustained defensive reps as the most efficient way to accelerate his growth, especially after his rookie year showed he can impact games in both phases without needing a full offensive workload every week.

Receiver depth may cap offensive snaps

Even as defensive responsibilities grow, the Jaguars have not ruled out a meaningful offensive package for Hunter. The calculus is complicated by a crowded receiver room that surged late last season, which could naturally compress available wideout snaps.

Parker Washington delivered a breakout, midseason addition Jakobi Meyers produced in Hunter’s absence, and Brian Thomas Jr. remains in the plans despite an uneven stretch. The front office also invested at tight end with Nate Boerkircher, signaling more two-tight-end looks that tend to reduce three- and four-receiver usage.

In 2025, Jacksonville’s fourth wideout — often Washington or Tim Patrick — averaged 26.7% of offensive snaps, roughly 18 plays in a 65–70 snap game. If Hunter’s defensive share climbs, the staff can still script selective offensive situations that maximize impact rather than volume. Expect designed packages, red-zone concepts or drive-openers where his route savvy and after-catch threat can be leveraged without compromising his cornerback workload.

Managing the two-way balance in Year 2

The task is to preserve the unpredictability Hunter brings while clarifying his primary job. A larger defensive role helps stabilize the secondary after offseason departures and gives coaches a consistent development runway. Offensively, Jacksonville’s depth and personnel shifts allow for a tactical role that can expand or contract week to week based on matchups, health and game state.

Training camp and preseason usage will offer the clearest signals on snap distribution. For now, indicators point to Hunter anchoring at cornerback with curated offensive deployment — an approach designed to protect his availability, accelerate his growth on defense and maintain the multiphase threat that made him a first-round pick.