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Jacksonville Jaguars offseason: What we learned about Travis Hunter, others entering camp
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- Jacksonville Jaguars offseason: What we learned about Travis Hunter, others entering camp
The Jacksonville Jaguars and the rest of the NFL have concluded their offseason programs with mandatory minicamps wrapping up earlier in June.
Jacksonville's offseason has been riddled with change at nearly all levels of the organization. While owner Shad Khan remains solidly in place, the franchise went in another direction at levels below him on the football side of the organization.
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Tony Boselli now heads up the staff as the franchise's EVP of football operations, while Liam Coen and James Gladstone were hired as the team's head coach and general manager, respectively.
From a player-personnel perspective, the franchise is also heading into a new direction at several key positions. The team will hope their work over the last several weeks and months can translate into the season starting with training camp that'll begin in late July.
UNDERSTAND: Travis Hunter is Jaguars' new top rookie. Trevor Lawrence knows exactly what that's like
Note: NFL training camps always begin in late July, but no official dates have been announced.
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To mark the end of the Jaguars ' offseason program, the Times-Union will cover what we've learned and a little of what we expect to learn as the season draws near.
Trevor Lawrence begins virtual reset under Liam Coen
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) looks to pass during the second mandatory minicamp at Miller Electric Center Wednesday, June 11, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla.
The Jaguars will head into this season with a renewed expectation for their starting quarterback. Fifth-year QB Trevor Lawrence is attempting to master yet another system. This will mark the third system change for Lawrence through five seasons in the league. It will also mark the fifth playcaller (Coen) Lawrence has had to hear in his headset in the NFL.
This offseason was all about Lawrence adopting a new rhythm, essentially. Coen described what Lawrence is learning as a new dance, mastering the various dropbacks, timing and footwork that a Coen offense employs.
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Lawrence's changes aren't so dramatic that he will look like a completely different QB, but the changes to the team's offense are so dramatic that it'll look vastly different than the previous regime under former HC Doug Pederson.
Moving forward, Lawrence's understanding of the offense should be expected to be like second nature. He provided an update on where he is earlier in June.
"When you hear a play call, it's not like I'm straining to think about what I'm doing. At first, when you get in the system, you're kind of doing that, but towards the end it felt a lot more second nature and felt like I could just go and play and communicate and move fast," Lawrence said as mandatory minicamp came to a close.
Look for Lawrence to continue addressing the finer details of the team's offense before it turns into something natural.
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Jaguars seriously want Travis Hunter to play both sides of the ball
Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) runs a passing drill during the Jacksonville Jaguars’ third mandatory minicamp on June 12.
When the Jaguars made the bold move to trade up for receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, many speculated what side of the football he'd ultimately play on. The Jaguars quickly quieted those questions by asserting the star two-way player would continue that focus at the next level.
Still, many questioned the validity and truthfulness of what the team said, at least until the offseason program began.
Hunter has steadily learned both sides of the ball since getting both playbooks shortly after April's draft. The Jaguars did not lie when they indicated that the former Colorado Buffaloes star would practice on both sides of the ball. After alternating days during the team's OTAs, Jaguars coaches got a glimpse of what they expect Hunter's practice time to look like during training camp.
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Hunter played on both sides of the ball during practice for the first time, spending the last period of practice on defense after spending the majority of the day on offense. There's no question whether Hunter will be used extensively on both sides of the football during his rookie year, but the question remains what his primary focus will be.
Jaguars depth chart fluidity in question after offseason program
Jacksonville Jaguars guard Wyatt Milum (64) listens to offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett during a rookie minicamp at Miller Electric Center Saturday, May 10, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
The Jaguars looked close to chalk this offseason. Many of the players one would expect to be in their starting roles were in their starting roles.
Without getting into too much detail per the rules of engagement for media members, there wasn't very much movement within Jacksonville's personnel groupings. Some players went in spots that were common for them over the last few years. Others continued rotation roles they had in the past.
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The major changes to the team's depth chart could have been projected following free agency. Players like guard Patrick Mekari , center Robert Hainsey , receiver Dyami Brown and nickel corner Jourdan Lewis are in their expected high-snap-count roles, while other free agents were sprinkled in.
Some spots could be surprisingly competitive during training camp, though. The team's depth chart isn't set, but the offseason program did not shed light on many changes.
Campanile, Jaguars defense underrated facet of team in 2025
Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile has a laugh after the Jacksonville Jaguars’ third day of mandatory minicamp.
Jacksonville's defense was the bane of the team's existence last season (not to mention the offensive offense).
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Most observers have already written off the defense this year, with very little coverage sliding that way besides Hunter's presence. The team still has two pass rushers in Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen , who have proven to be 10-plus-sack players when things go their way, plus they are enforcers at both end spots.
The team upgraded their secondary by bringing in Lewis, Hunter and safety Eric Murray. The team's best addition may be defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile. Though Campanile is a brand-new signal caller, the team's veterans have already given him rave reviews from what they've seen and heard of their new DC.
"All the guys that played with him or played under him, they love him, and so do I. I love his energy, his passion for the game, his attention to detail, the techniques, the different calls and the love he has for his players," Lewis said during mandatory minicamp. "You can already tell that he loves us and he wants to go out there and play really good football and I feel like we are going to do that."
Last year's DC also required several players to gain unnecessary weight , played multiple players out of position, and did not seem to get any glowing endorsements as the season drew to a close, and he was sent packing soon after.
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Campanile offers the team a refreshed mindset. With the upgrades made to the secondary and re-shuffling of players to their appropriate roles, Jacksonville's defense should be vastly improved from a season ago.
How different will the Jaguars look in 2025?
Cormorants sit perched on a support cable with the new Four Seasons hotel and construction crane as the backdrop continues constuction Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Jaguars fans got a chance to see the new head coach speak and give a warm welcome at the stadium.
This is the question we'll all ask as the season draws near and takes off under a new regime.
The early answer? The Jaguars will look quite different this year when compared to years prior. The team's personnel department underwent a clean sweep of changes for the first time in nearly a decade under the franchise's ownership.
There is a renewed sense of energy in the building that's reminiscent of the first day of school when you move up from elementary to middle school. That, at least, is the current perception.
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Reality hits at the end of July and really won't set in until around Week 4 when we get a sense of what this Jaguars team will look like for now and in the immediate future.
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: Jacksonville Jaguars offseason: Can Trevor Lawrence reach elite status?
