In a late-week surprise, the Jacksonville Jaguars revealed they will be without their ballyhooed rookie for the foreseeable future.
Head coach Liam Coen announced Friday that Travis Hunter, the No. 2 overall pick of this year’s draft, is headed to injured reserve with a knee injury. The 2024 Heisman Trophy winner has garnered widespread attention this season while attempting to become the rare NFL player who regularly plays on both offense and defense.
Hunter, who has started four games this season but played in all seven of the Jags’ contests, has provided Jacksonville with 324 snaps at wide receiver and another 162 at cornerback. He totaled 2,625 snaps over his final two seasons at the University of Colorado.
Overall, Hunter’s impact has been fairly negligible, though he did have his best statistical performance in the Jaguars’ most recent game, a 35-7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in London on Oct. 19. Hunter established season bests with eight catches and 101 yards and scored his first pro TD – a 34-yarder in garbage time. Coming out of the bye week, he was expected to take on a larger role.
Rookie GM Gladstone aggressively pursued Hunter prior to the draft, sending the fifth and 36th overall picks this year plus a 2026 first-rounder as part of a package that moved Jacksonville in position to take Hunter.
The Jaguars face the Raiders in Las Vegas in Week 9.
Travis Hunter injury update
Coen said Hunter suffered a non-contact injury in Thursday’s practice. The immediate decision to place him on IR is foreboding given the information currently available.
How long is Travis Hunter out?
Going on injured reserve means Hunter will miss a minimum of four weeks, though he could be out much longer and potentially for the rest of the season depending on the severity of the injury.
Hunter will at minimum miss games vs. the following teams:
Week 9: at Las Vegas Raiders
Week 10: at Houston Texans
Week 11: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Week 12: at Arizona Cardinals
Travis Hunter stats
Through seven games, Hunter has caught a team-leading 28 passes for 298 yards and that lone touchdown.
Defensively, he’s made 15 tackles and defended three passes.
Jaguars’ wide receiver depth chart
Brian Thomas Jr.
Travis Hunter (injured)
Dyami Brown
Parker Washington
Tim Patrick
Joshua Cephus (IR)
Chandler Brayboy (practice squad)
Tim Jones (practice squad)
Austin Trammell (practice squad)
Jaguars’ cornerback depth chart
Jourdan Lewis
Montaric Brown
Greg Newsome II
Travis Hunter (injured)
Jarrian Jones
Christian Braswell
Caleb Ransaw (IR)
Keni-H Lovely (practice squad)
Jabbar Muhammad (practice squad)