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The Jaguars plan to continue utilizing Hunter (knee) as their top wide receiver and as a matchup cornerback in 2026, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Before hurting his right knee in an Oct. 30 practice and undergoing season-ending surgery Tuesday to address an isolated ICL injury, Hunter compiled 28 receptions for 298 yards and a touchdown on 45 targets to go with 15 tackles and three passes defensed over the Jaguars' first seven games of his rookie campaign. According to Rapoport, the Jaguars had been preparing for Hunter to handle a heightened role on both sides of the ball in the second half after he delivered his best all-around outing of the season in a loss to the Rams in Week 7, when he excelled in coverage against Davante Adams while finishing with eight catches for 101 yards and a score on offense. Altogether, Hunter played 323 snaps on offense and 158 on defense, and while the ratio may not change in 2026, his overall weekly volume of playing time on both sides of the ball is expected to increase. Because Hunter's knee injury included no damage to other ligaments, he's expected to face a relatively seamless six-month recovery period that should have him back to 100 percent well in advance of training camp.

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