The Jacksonville Jaguars knew exactly what they were doing when they traded up to the No.2 pick to draft Travis Hunter. The reigning Heisman winner was a unicorn at the college level—a rare two-way star who dominated as both a defensive back and wide receiver. They recognized him as a generational talent, and more importantly, they knew he had every intention of continuing his dual-role journey in the NFL.
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The Jaguars are fully on board with that vision, and his rookie contract reflects it. Hunter signed a four-year, $46.65 million fully guaranteed deal, which includes a massive $30.57 million signing bonus—all paid upfront. That makes him the first non-quarterback selected outside of No.1 overall to receive his entire signing bonus at once.
It’s a historic contract for a historic talent. Still, not everyone sees it as enough. Analysts like Mike Florio argue that the Jaguars are essentially underpaying him, getting two players for the price of one.
That’s the reality of the NFL’s rookie pay scale. The Jaguars aren’t required to pay him extra, and Hunter isn’t allowed to negotiate for more. He’s earning what every second overall pick earns, regardless of position. His willingness to play both ways doesn’t change that formula.
Is it unfair to him? Arguably, yes. But there’s little he can do about it right now.
According to Florio, Travis Hunter could, in theory, refuse to play both positions—though that’s highly unlikely. Travis has made it clear: he wants to play on both sides of the ball. What he can do is wait.
Once he completes his third season, he’ll become eligible for a contract extension—and that’s when he can make his case for a raise that reflects his expanded role.
At that point, Hunter could ask the Jaguars to renegotiate a deal that compensates him fairly for playing both receiver and cornerback.
“The only recourse for Travis Hunter is to say, “Sorry, I’m only playing one position”, It gets very interesting if the team tries to tell him he’s going to play two positions. I don’t think it’s going to get to that.
“The more likely outcome is after his third NFL season, once the window opens for a 2nd contract, that’s when he can say, “Hey, wait a minute, I’m doing two jobs and you are paying me for one”, That’s got to change,” Florio said.
Whether the team agrees is another story. Jacksonville likely entered this relationship expecting a two-for-one deal. That expectation helped justify their decision to trade up in the first place.
But tensions could rise when Hunter asks for pay that reflects his true value. According to Florio, Hunter’s future earnings may ultimately hinge on which position he excels in—or which one he logs the most snaps at.
If he remains elite in both roles, he’ll have a strong argument to break the mold—and force the Jaguars to rethink what a two-way superstar is truly worth in today’s NFL.
It’s unlikely that Travis Hunter will continue playing both positions full-time as his NFL career progresses. The pro game is a completely different beast—more physical, more demanding, and far more time-consuming.
It requires intense preparation, countless hours in the film room, and deep study of schemes and opponents before a player can even think about stepping on the field. At some point, the grind and the speed of the NFL will catch up, and maintaining elite performance on both sides of the ball will become increasingly difficult.
Eventually, Hunter will likely settle into one primary role, with the other used more situationally or in specific packages. And when that happens, his contract will reflect that shift. He’ll still earn well—perhaps even more than he does now—but not at the level that two full-time roles might suggest.
