Two-way star Travis Hunter showed promise in his preseason debut against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jacksonville Jaguars would surely want to see him make strides in their next game against the New Orleans Saints. However, his availability may be in question.
Hunter didn't practice on Day 16 of training camp, and head coach Liam Coen isn't sure whether the rookie out of Colorado will suit up for Week 2 of the preseason.
Liam Coen is unsure if Travis Hunter will suit up for the Jaguars vs. the Saints
Coen met with the local media after practice and said that Hunter is dealing with an upper-body injury, and the team kept him out of precaution. The head coach added that he doesn't know yet if he'll play against the Saints.
On a related note, Michael DiRocco of ESPN reported that right tackle Anton Harrison, cornerback Tyson Campbell, and offensive lineman Chuam Edoga were working on the side. Like Hunter, they may not play in Week 2 of the preseason.
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The Jaguars aren't overly concern about Travis Hunter missing the Saints game
Based on Coen's comments, Travis Hunter's injury and absence from practice aren't reasons for concern. On the other hand, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner will miss valuable snaps. The good news is that he's had no trouble making the adjustment to the NFL, and even if he misses time, he's trending toward playing two ways early in his rookie campaign.
There have been questions about Hunter's workload, and rightly so. It's not often that a player has attempted to play offense and defense in the pros on a full-time basis (or as close as possible). That said, the West Palm Beach, Florida native has been able to handle everything the Jags have thrown at him during his onboarding.
Although Hunter exclusively lined up at receiver early in the offseason program, he began to get reps at corner at mandatory camp. He took the next step when he practiced on offense and defense during the team's first scrimmage at EverBank Stadium.
Hunter then showed the work he's put in in the offseason, logging eight snaps at corner and 10 at receiver. Aside from proving that he can play two ways, he had a coverage sack and showed YAC capability.
Circling back to Liam Coen's comments, there's a chance that the Jaguars may momentarily pause Travis Hunter's onboarding for the game against the New Orleans Saints. But once he's back, he'll pick up where he left off.
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