Why Patriots Might Have to Pay Special Attention to Travis Hunter in Week 3 image
When the Jaguars drafted Travis Hunter, he was expected to be a nightmare for opposing teams when it came to game-planning.
That hasn't fully come to fruition yet, but the Patriots now have reason to pay close attention to the former No. 2 pick ahead of their Week 3 matchup.
Facing criticism about Hunter's limited role, Jaguars coach Liam Coen told reporters Wednesday that the two-way standout is in line to see more opportunities in Week 3.
"Any time you struggle offensively, you look at the totality of it all," Coen said. "Travis is a big part of that obviously. We’re looking at continuing to find different ways to get him involved. You’re also looking at the other side of the ball. ... We’re gonna look at giving him some more this week."
Reports coming into the season claimed Hunter would play much more cornerback than wide receiver, but his usage has been surprisingly low through two games. Hunter played only 10 percent of offensive snaps against the Broncos in Week 2, and he has just one catch on the year. Even while playing sparingly on offense, Hunter still hasn't been close to an every-down player defensively, playing 60 percent of defensive snaps against Denver.
After a tough loss, the Jaguars appear to be resetting their plans for the former Heisman Trophy winner, and that means the Patriots' defense will have to prepare for a reality in which Trevor Lawrence utilizes Hunter's skillset.
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Travis Hunter's Role vs. Patriots
The Patriots already knew they would have to deal with Hunter the cornerback on Sunday, but Coen's comments indicate they'll also have to prepare for Hunter the wide receiver.
Coen called Hunter's role a "balancing act," indicating the former No. 2 pick isn't going to suddenly play almost every offensive snap, but he proved as a rookie that he could handle a wide receiver workload. Hunter had at least three catches in six of his seven games before suffering a season-ending knee injury in practice, including a whopping 14 targets in his final game.
The Jaguars have more depth at wide receiver with Jakobi Meyers in the fold and Parker Washington emerging as a top target for Lawrence, but Hunter's potential role adds a unique game-planning wrinkle for a Patriots defense that was stellar in Week 2.
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