‘They Messed That Up’ — Vikings Hall of Famer Chews Out Jaguars For Mishandling Travis Hunter

The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Travis Hunter with the expectation that he could become a generational two-way talent. As a result, the franchise initially used Hunter on both sides of the ball during his 2025 rookie season.

However, Hall of Famer Cris Carter remains doubtful that any young star can handle the demanding workload of playing full-time on both sides of the ball in the NFL.

After completing his college career at Colorado as the 2024 Big 12 Player of the Year, Hunter’s first NFL season with the Jaguars was cut short by a torn LCL in his right knee. He appeared in only seven games, finishing with 298 receiving yards and one touchdown on offense while adding 15 combined tackles on defense.

While several NFL legends have occasionally contributed on both sides of the ball, Hunter taking on that responsibility as a rookie immediately attracted considerable attention after his injury.

On the“Inside Football” show, Carter criticized Jacksonville’s decision to make Hunter a two-way player so early in his professional career.

“Travis Hunter experiment,” Carter said. “They messed that up. It’s like if I have a little kid and he’s playing baseball, and I decide, okay, he’s gonna be a switch hitter. So okay, he’s gonna bat 300 left every day. He’s on bat 300 right every day. One side of the plate’s getting hurt, correct?

“Because if he had taken 600 swings as a lefty, how much better would he have gotten? So for me, no college player can play two positions, play on both sides of the ball, especially initially.”

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The Hall of Famer then referenced his former Vikings head coach, the late Dennis Green, to explain why he believes young players should first establish themselves in one specific role before taking on additional responsibilities.

“Let’s teach him one thing. Denny Green used to say this to every player: I’m going to give you an assignment. I’m going to give you a role. You better master that role before you ever come back to me asking, ‘Hey, can I do more?'”

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Hunter has since completed his rehabilitation program on schedule and returned to full football activities ahead of the Jaguars’ 2026 training camp.

However, Jacksonville has already adjusted Hunter’s workload heading into the 2026 season. The Jaguars have divided his practice snaps while placing a greater emphasis on his defensive responsibilities. During recent 11-on-11 practice sessions, Hunter did not take a single offensive snap.

The Jaguars still intend to take advantage of Hunter’s rare versatility during the regular season. However, the coaching staff now appears more focused on developing him into an elite defensive player rather than immediately maximizing his impact as a two-way offensive and defensive weapon.

NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reported that Jacksonville could ultimately use Hunter as a full-time cornerback while giving him a part-time role at receiver.

Following the setbacks of his rookie season, the Jaguars appear to be moving away from the original 50/50 two-way experiment. Whether that approach allows the former Colorado star to reach his full potential will become clearer as the 2026 season unfolds.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.