So much for cause and effect. After going 4-13 in 2024, the Jacksonville Jaguars made a blockbuster trade to move up in the 2025 NFL Draft and select Heisman Trophy winner and two-way superstar Travis Hunter with the second overall pick. Sure enough, the Jaguars did a 180 — going 13-4 in 2025 and making the playoffs for just the second time in eight years. But Travis Hunter had nothing to do with it.
Hunter only played seven games before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He finished his rookie season with 28 receptions for 298 yards and one touchdown, to go along with 15 total tackles and three passes defensed from his cornerback spot. What’s more, the Jaguars were only 4-3 when Hunter went down. He wasn’t on the field when Jacksonville ended the regular-season on an eight-game winning streak.
The Jaguars’ 2025 success was much more attributable to rookie head coach Liam Coen. The Jags hired Coen hoping that his reputation as a creative offensive guru could rekindle the vast potential of quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Mission accomplished. And on top of that, Coen’s infectious competitive spirit rubbed off on the rest of the team.
Now, Jacksonville looks to build on the momentum and try to win back-to-back AFC South titles for the first time since 1998-99. The return of a healthy Hunter is big — but the team still needs to come up with a solid plan of how best to use him. There has been speculation that Hunter will spend more time focusing on defense, working in a limited offensive package for him. That remains to be seen.
The other key offseason decision will be what to do about running back Travis Etienne, who had a very solid 2025 season but is now a free agent.
2025 recap
Trevor Lawrence took a while to get comfortable in Coen’s offense, but he eventually got into a rhythm. In his fifth NFL season, Lawrence completed 60.9% of his passes for 4,007 yards and a career-high 29 touchdowns. For good measure, he added 359 yards on the ground and nine rushing touchdowns — both career highs.
And Lawrence wasn’t the only Jaguar to get better and better as the season went along. Over the final eight games of the regular season, Jacksonville outscored its opponents by an average of 33.6-14.5.
Etienne bounced back from a disappointing 2024 season to produce 1,399 scrimmage yards (1,107 rushing, 292 receiving) and 13 total touchdowns. Second-year receiver Brian Thomas Jr. took a step back, but Parker Washington had a breakout season (team-leading 58 catches and 847 yards) and veteran Jakobi Meyers became a popular target after joining the Jags in a mid-season trade with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Defensively, Jacksonville led the NFL in rushing defense (85.6 yards per game), and finished eighth in scoring defense. Turnovers played a big part in their success and it was very much a team effort: 10 different players had at least one interception, and the Jaguars’ 22 picks ranked second in the NFL.
Only a last-minute touchdown from Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen kept the Jaguars from advancing out of the wild-card round of the playoffs.
Key free agents
RB Travis Etienne
WR Dyami Brown
DE Emmanuel Ogbah
LB Devin Lloyd
CB Greg Newsome
S Andrew Wingard
Jaguars salary cap space
($11,433,472)
2026 draft needs
Even though Jacksonville doesn’t have a first-round pick, Travis Hunter essentially gets a redo on his rookie season. As for later picks in this year’s draft, the Jaguars would do well to bolster the interior of the offensive and defensive lines. Safety might be an area of need. If they lose Etienne in free agency, then running back might be addressed, even though they do like 2025 rookie Bhayshul Tuten.
2026 opponents
Home: Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Cleveland, New England, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington
Away:Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, N.Y. Giants
Related: 2026 Offseason Outlook for All 32 NFL Teams
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