CLEVELAND, Ohio — What does Travis Hunter’s potentially serious knee injury mean for the Browns and their first-round pick from the draft day trade with the Jaguars?
The No. 2 overall pick of the Jaguars out of Colorado after they traded up from No. 5 with the Browns, Hunter was just starting to flash his potentially generational talent when he went down in practice on Thursday with a non-contact knee injury.
A two-way player at receiver and cornerback, Hunter -- Shedeur Sanders’ star weapon at Colorado -- will be placed on injured reserve for at least four weeks, meaning the earliest he could return is Week 13 vs. the 1-7 Titans. But it could be longer depending on the extent of the injury.
“We’re currently assessing the injury just to determine the best course of action moving forward for Travis and for the team,” coach Liam Coen said. “Feel bad for the guy, for the kid, for our team, for everything, but he’s in good spirits right now. Minor setback for a major comeback. That’s just the way it’s got to be.”
At 4-3, the Jaguars currently have the 18th overall pick in the draft, which is the one owned by the Browns. At 2-6, the Browns also have their own No. 5 overall pick.
But the loss of Hunter, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner, could significantly impact the Jaguars’ record going forward. Despite getting off to a slower start than hoped, Hunter leads the team with 28 receptions, and is second with 298 yards. He’s coming off his best game as a pro during the 35-7 loss to the Rams in London before the bye. In that outing, he caught a season-high eight passes for 104 yards and 1 TD, his lone score of the season.
According to Pro Football Focus, Hunter, described by Browns GM Andrew Berry as a Shohei Ohtani, is the 68th best receiver in the NFL this season with a 62.2 grade.
The Jaguars’ other starting receiver, 2024 first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr., has been plagued by drops this season, and is second to Hunter with 27 receptions but first in yards with 365. He also has a TD. Thomas has been the subject of trade rumors, but the Jaguars likely won’t be able to part with him now.
The Jaguars, who have lost two straight after winning three straight to get to 4-1, have some winnable games coming up in their next four, but also some tough matchups. They face the Raiders (2-6), Texans (3-4), Chargers (5-3) and Cardinals (2-5). The three after that are the Titans (1-7), Colts (7-1) and Jets (1-7).
Even before Hunter’s injury, the Browns appeared to have won the trade, having drafted starting defensive tackle Mason Graham at No. 5, starting running back Quinshon Judkin at No. 36, and changeup back Dylan Sampson in the fourth round. Graham is off to a solid start, even though it hasn’t shown up in his PFF grade. He’s ranked No. 58 among qualifying defensive tackles, according to PFF. For comparison’s sake, his three teammates are in the top 31: Maliek Collins at No. 4, Adin Huntington at No. 14, and Shelby Harris at No. 31.
Judkins, who suffered a sprained AC shoulder joint in New England, is ranked No. 14 among qualifying NFL backs, and Dylan Sampson, who hasn’t been used much yet, is 53rd. But the crown jewel of the trade could be the 2026 first round pick, depending on where it falls and how the 2026 quarterback class shapes up. It’s currently not as star-studded as the NFL world hoped, but there could still be at least a half a dozen QBs taken in the first round.
Hunter’s injury is also reminiscent of Deshaun Watson’s non-contact knee injury in practice as a rookie in 2017 — which turned out to be a season-ending torn ACL — when the Browns were on Texans’ first-pick watch that year. The Browns had traded down from No. 12 to No. 25 with Houston, picking up an extra 2018 first-rounder in the process.
The Texans’ first-rounder improved considerably after Watson was lost for the season following a solid 3-3 start. They went 1-9 thereafter to finish 4-12 and earn the No. 4 pick in the draft. The Browns used the pick on cornerback Denzel Ward, who went on to become a four-time Pro Bowler and one of the premier cornerbacks in the NFL.
Hunter, who made 15 tackles and three pass breakups at cornerback for the Jaguars this season, has played 67% of the team’s offensive snaps and 36% of the defensive snaps, meaning they’ll miss him on both sides of the ball.
The loss of a two-way player doesn’t have the same impact as a starting quarterback, but Hunter was arguably their best offensive weapon this season, and they don’t know when he’s coming back. Even if he only misses the minimum of four games, it could still mean a higher first round pick for the Browns in a draft in which they’ll likely be searching for their franchise QB.
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