{"id":213886,"date":"2025-07-17T09:49:14","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T09:49:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/213886\/"},"modified":"2025-07-17T09:49:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T09:49:14","slug":"healthy-trevor-lawrence-versatile-travis-hunter-lead-jaguars-into-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/213886\/","title":{"rendered":"Healthy Trevor Lawrence, versatile Travis Hunter lead Jaguars into 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Jaguars RB Travis Etienne welcomes the competition in his contract year<\/p>\n

Travis Etienne is in his contract year with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He\u2019s also the subject if trade rumors. He said it doesn\u2019t concern him.<\/p>\n

Jaguars training camp will begin on July 23, with nine total practices being open for fans.The Jacksonville Jaguars enter 2025 training camp under new leadership in general manager James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen.One of the Jaguars’ biggest storylines is the health of quarterback Trevor Lawrence.<\/p>\n

Soon, the Jacksonville Jaguars<\/a> will return to the gridiron, and they will do so under new leadership and a renewed focus on righting the ship that\u2019s steered off course the past two seasons.<\/p>\n

In January, Jaguars<\/a> owner Shad Khan decided to part ways with both former head coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke. The moves, made on separate dates, set a plan in motion to completely rewire the franchise\u2019s football division.<\/p>\n

After relieving Baalke of his duties, Khan quickly solicited Hall of Fame offensive lineman and businessman Tony Boselli to become the man in charge as the team\u2019s Vice President of Football Operations.<\/p>\n

Khan hopes that Boselli, the team\u2019s first-ever draft pick in 1995, can bring a fresh perspective and understanding of the game to revitalize a franchise desperate for good times.<\/p>\n

JAGUARS TRAINING CAMP INFO: How fans can get tickets for nine open dates<\/a><\/p>\n

Along with Boselli, the Jaguars hired a new coaching staff led by head coach Liam Coen, and have added several people to an ever-changing front office led by general manager James Gladstone.<\/p>\n

Gladstone (34 years old) and Coen (39) make up one of the youngest general manager-head coach duos in the league, but have not shown naivet\u00e9 during their first few months on the job.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen there\u2019s an opportunity to be bold, we won\u2019t flinch,\u201d Gladstone said in April, shortly after pulling off one of the more daring trades in recent draft history to select an equally unique football player in Travis Hunter at No. 2.<\/p>\n

Is Travis Hunter a catalyst for new Jaguars era?<\/p>\n

Hunter, a do-it-all player out of Colorado, will adopt the same philosophy that he did for two years with the Buffaloes: to play both cornerback and wide receiver on a full-time basis.<\/p>\n

The Jaguars are letting him do it, too. Coen showcased his boldness during the team\u2019s offseason program, splitting Hunter\u2019s time between both sides of the ball on the field and in the classroom.<\/p>\n

Hunter is one of the only players in the league to get both an offense and defensive playbook after being drafted because he\u2019s too good, not because they don\u2019t know where to put him. The trust Coen and his staff have in Hunter isn\u2019t just through osmosis, though. The 22-year-old has given them no reason to distrust him and all the reasons to support what he wants to accomplish. His character, intelligence, physicality and know-how demand it.<\/p>\n

“You see the type of guy that he is. He\u2019s in here early, he stays late and wants to work. He loves the game. The growth will continue. I think we\u2019ll see a little bit more of a jump once we get into training camp as well,\u201d said Coen.<\/p>\n

Hunter focused on the defensive side of the ball for at least three practices during Organized Team Activities and even played both sides (final period on defense) during the team\u2019s wrap-up practice ahead of the summer break.<\/p>\n

The 2025 second-overall pick\u2019s buzz grows by the minute, and his certain successes will be something to document moving forward. For Jacksonville, it\u2019s a bright light in a sea of darkness that could spell the end of what some believe to be a curse.<\/p>\n

When will the Jaguars report to camp?<\/p>\n

Jaguars rookies are scheduled to report<\/a> on July 19 and veterans on July 22.<\/p>\n

Will Jaguars training camp be open to fans? When?<\/p>\n

Yes, the Jaguars will open training camp practices for the public. That includes a scheduled eight practices that the public can attend and one season-ticket-holder-only practice (Friday, July 25). \u00a0<\/p>\n

Here are the dates that\u2019ll be open:<\/p>\n

Wednesday, July 23\u00a0Thursday, July 24\u00a0Friday, July 25 (season ticket holders only)\u00a0Sunday, July 27 (NFL Back Together Sunday, with rookie poster giveaway)\u00a0Monday, July 28 (first day in full pads)\u00a0Tuesday, July 29\u00a0Friday, Aug. 1 (EverBank Stadium scrimmage, 7 p.m.)\u00a0Sunday, Aug. 3\u00a0Tuesday, Aug. 5\u00a0Jaguars look to avoid hangover after 2024 collapse<\/p>\n

When camp officially kicks off, the franchise will look to do it without the 2024 season hanging over their heads. The amount of newness around the building ought to help, but there will be some obstacles to get over for players who\u2019ve been here through the good and bad times.<\/p>\n

When asked how quickly the team flushed last season on the defensive side of the ball, Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen didn\u2019t want to speak on it. \u201cNext question,\u201d he said in June before exuding praise for new defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile when asked about how involved he is as a coach.<\/p>\n

\u201cCalais [former Jaguars DE Calais Campbell] always told me, man, if you want to be great at something, you\u2019ve got to love it, you\u2019ve got to respect it. For me, he gives off that. He respects the game. He loves it. He loves the team. He loves the players who are playing for him,\u201d Hines-Allen said about of Campanile.<\/p>\n

Last year, the Jaguars finished with a 4-13 record after multiple injuries and poor play on both sides of the ball derailed the team\u2019s aspirations. Jacksonville ranked just 26th in points scored and ranked dead last in pass defense and 27th in run defense, according to Pro Football Reference.<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t help that starting QB Trevor Lawrence missed seven games with a shoulder issue.<\/p>\n

Jacksonville added to the defense this year beyond Hunter, signing free agent defensive backs Eric Murray and Jourdan Lewis to help shore up the backend of the defense while the team added depth on the defensive line and moved Arik Armstead back to defensive tackle from defensive end, his natural position.<\/p>\n

Offensively, the Jaguars added multiple players, including Hunter and fellow receiver Dyami Brown. The franchise also worked to bolster their offensive line by signing presumed starting right guard Patrick Mekari and center Robert Hainsey.<\/p>\n

The team parted ways with veteran receiver Christian Kirk and tight end Evan Engram, with Brian Thomas Jr. expected to develop further, and the team\u2019s new players on offense to help pick up the slack and improve upon it.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the biggest storyline for the Jaguars ahead of camp?<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no doubt that all eyes will be on Hunter, as they have been since he was drafted in April.<\/p>\n

Still, there\u2019s no bigger storyline in Jacksonville than the health and development of Lawrence.<\/p>\n

After missing eight games over the past two seasons combined, Lawrence\u2019s health ought to be at the forefront of everyone\u2019s mind. Will he remain healthy? How long will the team have him for?<\/p>\n

After being selected with the first-overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Lawrence has enjoyed an up-and-down start to his career. In his second season, he helped carry the team to a 9-8 record and a trip to the AFC Divisional Round of the playoffs.<\/p>\n

Since then, the team has gone 13-21 with Lawrence missing nearly half a season.<\/p>\n

The team\u2019s leadership has changed, but Lawrence\u2019s health is still the priority and has been since Gladstone and Coen arrived in Jacksonville.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think to point back to some of the comments I made in the early going of being on the job, the idea of setting the dish in particular the internal sort of pocket, and a quarterback feeling comfortable with stepping into that, right? That’s important as well. I think the moves in pro-free agency, the moves here, they all point to that,\u201d Gladstone said in April.<\/p>\n

The team is making moves to set the dish for Lawrence, while also taking some heat off of him. Coen has often emphasized a running game and moves throughout the offseason have confirmed his commitment to it.<\/p>\n

The Jaguars signed the aforementioned linemen, while drafting two during the draft, too, including third-round pick Wyatt Milum. Jacksonville also drafted two running backs, including fourth-round selection Bhayshul Tuten, who is likely to earn playing time at some point this season.<\/p>\n

The Jaguars in 2024 ranked 26th in the NFL in rushing at 101.7 yards per game. They brought in just 13 scores on the ground, tied for 20th.<\/p>\n

Last year, as the Buccaneers\u2019 offensive coordinator, Coen helped the team improve its rushing attack, going from 32nd in the league in rushing in 2023 to fourth in 2024. That emphasis will be brought to Jacksonville.<\/p>\n

“That’s where it starts. To go into playoff games and to go do it, you’ve got to be able to run the football and stop the run, first and foremost,\u201d Coen said earlier this year.<\/p>\n

Some of what Jacksonville is doing will undoubtedly help the team\u2019s offense, but primarily it will help take some of the load off Lawrence with the plan for him to play a full season since the last time the team went to the playoffs.<\/p>\n

The road to getting there begins July 23.<\/p>\n

Demetrius Harvey is\u00a0the\u00a0Jacksonville Jaguars<\/a>\u00a0reporter\u00a0for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X,\u00a0formerly known as Twitter,\u00a0at\u00a0@Demetrius82<\/a>\u00a0or on\u00a0Bluesky @ Demetrius<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you’re a subscriber, thank you. If not, please consider becoming a\u00a0subscriber<\/a>\u00a0to support local journalism in Northeast Florida.<\/p>\n