Two-way rookie Travis Hunter will see more defensive action on Sunday when his Jacksonville Jaguars visit the Cincinnati Bengals.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft only played six snaps at cornerback in the season-opening victory over the Carolina Panthers, adding a team-high six catches for 33 yards on 42 snaps as a wide receiver.
Head coach Liam Coen said the plan all along was to gradually increase Hunter’s defensive involvement, a process that will accelerate this weekend against Bengals wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
“Going into Week 1, it was, ‘OK, we know that it’s not going to be a ton on defense,'” Coen said Wednesday. “The goal is to increase and continue to increase (his defensive snaps). It just so happens that we’re playing Cincinnati with two good wideouts this week.”
Chase and Higgins were held to a combined five catches for 59 yards in Cincinnati’s season-opening 17-16 victory against the Cleveland Browns.
Hunter, 22, won the 2024 Heisman Trophy as a two-way standout at Colorado, where his defensive numbers included seven interceptions and 16 passes defensed in two seasons.
