Big Cat Country
Snap counts and CBA wording could be the difference in millions for Travis Hunter down the line.
Is Travis Hunter a wide receiver or a cornerback? In a few years, his contract will tell us.
Since making possibly the biggest splash of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars have been working unicorn athlete Travis Hunter as mostly a wide receiver, after the former Heisman trophy winner famously played both receiver and cornerback at Colorado.
The Jags do still plan to play Hunter on both sides of the football, which is something ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano analyzed when it comes to future contract details for Hunter.
At current, Hunter is making over $46.6 million on his rookie four-year deal with a fifth-year option. That salary is based on him being a somewhat “regular” football player, which everyone knows he is not.
So, Graziano dug into the nitty gritty of the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement to see how Hunter’s two-way play will impact the Jaguars’ front office when his rookie deal runs up.
For starters, Hunter will benefit financially by playing both sides of the ball through the performance-based pay scale. Last season, NFL teams were given a little over $14 million to dish out for players based on a predetermined scale. The scale is determined…
“by (i) adding the player’s total plays on offense or defense, as appropriate, plus special teams and (ii) dividing that number by the total plays of the player on the team’s roster with the most combined plays on offense, defense and special teams for that Club.”
Graziano smartly points out that the language above uses “offense OR defense.” Since no one has really had a player like Hunter that is anticipated to play big-time snaps on both sides of the ball, there has never been a need to discuss the scale using “and” language, until now.
Hunter will reap the rewards of playing both sides, and any special teams if applicable, and will likely be compensated very well upon the close of his rookie year with a PBP payout based on his snap count. Graziano predicts that with the growing PBP pool combined with Hunter’s contract numbers, he could be in line for a payout of around $400,000 next year. A drop in the bucket for sure, but more than enough to keep gas in Hunter’s fishing boat for the offseason.
The next step the Jags will have to figure out with Hunter is a potential fifth-year option if they don’t negotiate a new contract beforehand. That option must be picked up upon the close of a player’s third year, so in May of 2028 for Hunter. This is also not to mention any potential franchise tag shenanigans the Jags could get in with Hunter.
If Hunter were to have his fifth-year option picked up last season, he would have stood to make over $3 million more if he were paid like a wide receiver, at almost $24 million.
The CBA does have...
