Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter is adjusting to becoming the NFL\'s first regular two-way player since Chuck Bednarik in 1962, working separate practice days on offense and defense. The receiver/cornerback praised the team\'s gradual approach during his first week of training camp.
Hunter spent the first two practices on offense and the third on defense. Head coach Liam Coen designed the schedule to prevent overwhelming the rookie while he learns both playbooks.
The former Colorado star participated in 23 snaps during Friday\'s 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 drills. Hunter lined up against receiver Brian Thomas Jr. once but was not directly targeted by quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence or Nick Mullens.
Mental Challenges Outweigh Physical Demands
Hunter identified the mental aspects as more challenging than the physical requirements of playing both sides. He splits time between offensive and defensive meetings while studying two separate playbooks with different terminology.
\"I need to be able to process everything fast, quick,\" Hunter said Friday. \"When I\'m on the defensive side, if the offense changes their strength, I\'ve got to know what I\'m doing right away.\"
\"You\'ve got two playbooks and you\'ve got to do different terms each and every day,\" Hunter said.
Hunter expressed satisfaction with his defensive performance but wanted more field time to accelerate his learning process.
\"I enjoyed it, but I just needed to be on the field a lot more so I can continue to learn the defense and continue to do what I need to do,\" Hunter said.
On offensive practice days, Hunter works with secondary coaches during special teams periods. During defensive sessions, he trains with receivers coaches to maintain his offensive skills.
Coen plans to have Hunter work both sides during the same practice within the first six sessions. The coaching staff wants to ensure proper preparation before increasing the workload complexity.
\"So I like that we\'re starting off slow, getting me adjusted, making sure I know where I need to be on one side of the ball each day and then it [will] all come together,\" Hunter said.
\"It\'s probably harder logistically for us as coaches to navigate it and make sure that we\'re making use of all his time,\" Coen said. \"He\'s been great in terms of his attitude and just kind of the way he approaches it.\"