The Jacksonville Jaguars listed two-way star Travis Hunter as limited with a knee injury on their Thursday injury report. The expectation was that he was going to recover in time to face the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9. However, things have only gotten worse.
One day after including Hunter on the injury report, the Jags are placing him on the Injured Reserve. Based on head coach Liam Coen's latest remarks, the injury is worse than expected.
The Jaguars are placing Travis Hunter on Injured Reserve
Liam Coen met with the local media on the Friday before the Raiders and said that Travis Hunter is landing on the Injured Reserve, noting that the team is assessing the injury.
"Guys, just a quick update. Travis Hunter was injured during practice on Thursday. He will be placed on IR here shortly. We'll miss at least four games," Coen told the local media. "We're currently assessing the injury just to determine the best course of action moving forward for Travis and for the team."
Coen went on to say that he felt bad for Hunter, pointing out that he expects him to bounce back.
"I feel bad for the guy, for the kid, for our team, for everything, but he's in good spirits right now, and minor setback for a major comeback. That's just the way it's got to be."
Later in the exchange, Coen said it was a bit too early to tell just how serious the injury is and how much time Hunter will miss.
"Last night, when we got some information. So we're still waiting on further information to be able to determine how long it could be," responded when asked when the team made the decision to place Hunter on IR.
Before the injury update, Coen had stated that the Jaguars were going to put more on Hunter's plate. The news brought the plan to a screeching halt. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner will need to miss at least four games while he stays on IR.
The Jaguars will need Dyami Brown, Parker Washington, and Greg Newsome to step up in Travis Hunter's absence
A handful of players who underachieved in the first seven weeks were expected to step up after the BYE. It just became more crucial in light of Travis Hunter. Brian Thomas Jr., Dyami Brown, and Parker Washington made a few plays at times but weren't necessarily consistent. Losing Travis Hunter is a huge blow to the passing game, but if the trio of receivers can come through, Jacksonville will be alright.
On defense, Greg Newsome and Montaric Brown see bigger roles. The latter has fared well after missing time with a leg injury, but the former struggled after getting traded to the Jags. The good news is that he's had time to land his feet and should play better than he did in the loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Ultimately, it's never good to see a player miss time with injuries, but they are an inherent part of the sport, and teams must be ready to overcome them. In their case, the Jaguars will need more than just one player to replace Travis Hunter.