Travis Hunter injury: What happened to Jaguars' $46,650,000 rookie WR/CB?

Travis Hunter has not played an official NFL game yet, and he is hurting already. On Friday, the Jacksonville Jaguars revealed that their $46.65-million two-way prospect had missed that day's practice because of an upper-body injury.

The affected part was not disclosed:

Head coach Liam Coen declined to give an update on his status for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. However, he also revealed that Hunter still contributed to practice by studying a play-action sheet, saying:

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“That’s what they’re supposed to do when they’re hurt. We want them to make sure that they’re locked in, getting all the calls, understanding the call and being able to watch and execute it as well in their minds.”

Despite Hunter's absence, the Jaguars will still have something to be grateful for on defense - the returns of interior linemen Arik Armstead and Maason Smith from injury.

“I think there’s a little bit of a difference there with one being a 12-year vet and the other being a second, third-year player," Coen said. "So I think there’s maybe a little bit of a difference there, but very similar to where you don’t really know what you have the position truly. You feel like, man, we could get better here with these guys coming back on the grass.”

Brian Thomas Jr. wants to see Travis Hunter push himself, wishes for him to play offense more

Meanwhile, sophomore wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. shared his thoughts on how Travis Hunter could unlock his true potential on Friday's episode of The Pivot Podcast.

"He’s got to make sure he’s getting better each and every day," he said. "But, I mean, he takes on the challenge each and every time, so he’s going out there and making plays, whether it’s on offense, defense. I feel like it’ll be tough for him, but I feel like he’ll be able to do it."

He also concurred with quarterback Trevor Lawrence's desire to see the Heisman winner playing more snaps on one side of the ball.

“But me, selfishly, I would want him more on the offensive side, help me out a little-bit, track some of those coverages," Thomas added. "But, I mean, me personally, I feel like he’ll definitely be able to do it.”

Kickoff for the Jaguars-Saints preseason game is at 1 pm ET on CBS-affiliated WJAX-TV.

About the author

Andre Castillo is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda who holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Master’s degree in Journalism. He has over seven years of working experience and has also covered MMA with FanSided, wrestling with The Sportster, and automobiles with Hot Cars.

Andre follows the New York Jets and the Washington Commanders, mostly because he likes their colors. His favorite position is tight end, and players like Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce have always drawn Andre's attention when watching a game. Bill Belichick is his favorite coach, and his all-time favorite Super Bowl is the XLII edition, when the underdog New York Giants upset the then-undefeated New England Patriots.

If he can change one moment in NFL history, it will be from the NFC Championship Game in January 2019. In that game, a highly controversial no-call cost the Saints what would have been Drew Brees' second Super Bowl visit, where he would have faced Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Andre is always on the lookout for fresh perspectives in a story and ensures complete factual accuracy by double-checking all information before using it in his articles. He has an innate understanding of how to present information in an efficient and compelling way.

Outside the writing realm, Andre is a professional licensed teacher. His hobbies include watching UFC, MotoGP, playing the piano, and travelling.

Know More

Jaguars Fans! Check out the latest Jacksonville Jaguars Schedule and dive into the Jaguars Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Andre Castillo