Pro Football Rumors
Earlier this month, Travis Hunter and the Jaguars were not close to an agreement regarding his rookie contract. Team and player have now finalized the deal, however.
The 2024 Heisman winner signed his four-year pact on Sunday, per a team announcement. Hunter will collect $46.65MM as this year’s second overall selection, and that figure includes a $30.57MM signing bonus. ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes Hunter has received his entire signing bonus up front (as opposed to in installments as usual), which is unprecedented for non-quarterbacks taken in anything but the No. 1 slot.
Many presumed Hunter would hear his name called just after Cam Ward, and that did indeed wind up happening. The fact the Jaguars – not the Browns – selected him came as a surprise, though. Cleveland and Jacksonville pulled off a swap negotiated well in advance which allowed the Jags to move up to No. 2 and draft the two-way Colorado product.
Once of the most intriguing storylines leading up to this year’s draft was the matter of how Hunter would be used in the NFL. The Jaguars opened the offseason by having him acclimate to the receiver spot, but by the onset of OTAs he was also taking reps as a cornerback. It is expected that will continue through training camp as the team evaluates how to manage his workload as a rookie. That could very well shift on a week-to-week basis, especially depending on how Jacksonville’s WR and CB depth charts shake out over the coming months.
First-year general manager James Gladstone has made no secret about how highly he thinks of Hunter since the opening night of the draft. The All-American was an impact player on both sides of the ball in college, averaging well over 100 total snaps per game last season. He will take on the challenge of replicating that workload over the course of his rookie deal (which could run through 2029 in the event his fifth-year option is picked up).
The Jags have two remaining unsigned members of their draft class given today’s news. Needless to say, though, the team’s most lucrative pact on that front has now been taken care of.
