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3 Jacksonville Jaguars storylines ahead of minicamp: How will Travis Hunter be used?
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- 3 Jacksonville Jaguars storylines ahead of minicamp: How will Travis Hunter be used?
The final part of the Jacksonville Jaguars ' offseason is set to begin Tuesday, June 10, when the group reassembles for mandatory minicamp , the only portion of the offseason that players can be fined for not showing up.
Attendance, however, hasn't been an issue for Jacksonville. Besides a couple of players missing time for personal reasons or due to an illness, the franchise has seen all of its players in some capacity throughout the offseason. That includes defensive end Josh Hines-Allen , who has typically worked in Arizona during the voluntary portion of the offseason.
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Now, with a new head coach in Liam Coen , the team hopes to head in the right direction after a miserable final season under former head coach Doug Pederson.
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Thus far, the team has done well in responding to coaching. Coen mentioned Monday, June 2, shortly after the team's seventh Organized Team Activity of the offseason, that he felt the team's preparation had gone well in addition to both sides of the ball having some success — a more balanced look at practice.
"I thought it was a good competitive back-and-forth. Whereas maybe in the days prior there has been the offense has a really good day and the defense not as much or vice versa where the defense was ticked off, specifically myself. I thought today was just a good balance of guys making plays and then coming back," Coen said.
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"OK, who needs to make a play? Who is going to stop the bleeding on each side when maybe the offense is making more so I think that competitive balance has progressed over the last six or seven practices."
Ahead of the Jaguars ' return to the practice field, the Times-Union examines the three biggest storylines entering mandatory minicamp:
Travis Hunter tops the list of interests
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) looks on during the 10th organized team activity at Miller Electric Center Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
The Jaguars won't escape the constant barrage of coverage that Travis Hunter , the team's second-overall pick this year, will get. He will be in every headline every day for an indeterminate amount of time. That's a slight exaggeration, but not much.
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Hunter is attempting to do something that no modern-day NFL player has consistently done : play both offense and defense a high level and on an essentially full-time basis.
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During Organized Team Activities, the Jaguars used Hunter on both sides of the ball. He played on defense for at least three of the team's 10 OTAs, switching sides every three practices.
How Hunter operates during mandatory minicamp will be at the forefront of everyone's mind as the local media gets potentially its first look at the two-way player on the defensive side of the football.
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Trevor Lawrence has progressed, but how much further must he go?
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) throws the ball during the 10th organized team activity at Miller Electric Center Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
There's no question that all eyes will also be on quarterback Trevor Lawrence as the fifth-year quarterback looks to bounce back from an injury-riddled 2024 campaign.
Lawrence's rehabilitation isn't occurring just to his left, non-throwing shoulder, which required surgery . The team is also working to refine the quarterback's footwork and timing to coincide with the team's new offense under Coen.
So far, the QB looks to be on the right track , even with some ways to go when it comes to mastering the offense completely. But, to Coen, there's no question about how close he is to getting the day-to-day operations of the offense down.
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"Is he operating the offense at a high level?" Coen asked after OTA No. 10. "Yes, he is right now."
The next step for the team's quarterback is to continue growing in chemistry with his wideouts. Top Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. said though the two players have not had a lot of work together (just over nine games played last season), he can see the progress the duo have made in the chemistry department already.
"I definitely feel like it's growing each and every day, each and every practice. I feel like we're all just coming out here to be the best that we can be and we're all just coming out here to get better. So, it's going to grow," Thomas said after the team's 10th OTA.
How Lawrence continues to grow within the team's system will be something to watch, and his growth on a practice-to-practice basis must happen.
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Dyami Brown deserves more mention as Jaguars head to break
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Dyami Brown (5) runs the ball during the 10th organized team activity at Miller Electric Center Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
Though the focus has rightfully been on receiver Travis Hunter and Brian Thomas Jr. among the team's skill players, Dyami Brown has been drawing eyes during OTAs.
Brown signed with the team on a one-year, $10 million deal in the offseason after spending the last four seasons with the Washington Commanders . In his career, he's caught just 59 passes for 784 yards and four touchdowns, but his play during the latter portion of 2024 and into the postseason showcased his potential.
In 2024, Brown caught 30 passes for 308 yards and a touchdown in 16 regular-season games. He nearly matched that production in just three games, catching 14 passes for 229 yards and a TD.
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During OTAs, Brown has looked like one of the team's most polished receivers, showcasing his speed and catchability. He will be a player to watch as the team moves forward.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82 or on Bluesky @ Demetrius .
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Travis Hunter, Jacksonville Jaguars in mandatory minicamp: What to know
