JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Much sooner rather than later, the Jacksonville Jaguars will have star two-way player Travis Hunter back on the practice field and, eventually, the field on Sundays.Sundays are the key day for Hunter and the Jaguars as he recovers from last year's season-ending injury. Training camp kicks off for the Jaguars on July 29, and the expectation during the offseason program was that Hunter would return at some point in camp.And while there certainly seems to be some positive momentum for Hunter and his recovery, it does feel like there is an aspect of the Hunter situation that is going overlooked: the actual timeline that matters, which starts in Week 1 vs. the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 23. Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter (12) walks off the field during the third day of minicamp at the Miller Electric Center, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectThe Hunter TimelineJaguars head coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone have not given specifics on Hunter's return, with the most concrete answer being given by Gladstone on April 9: "Yeah, for all intents and purpose, he'll be a limited participant through the offseason program with eyes on return to play at full tick in training camp." That is what we saw over the course of the offseason, with Hunter on the practice field each day and taking an active role in the mental aspects of the practices. Hunter did not get any team or drill work, though, and the most he did physically was catch a few passes while Trevor Lawrence warmed up early in practice.NFL Network/ESPN reporter Cameron Wolfe recently dived into what year two for Hunter could look like, and the most pertinent update seemed to be the one on Hunter's status ahead of camp later this month. Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter (12) walks off the field during the third day of minicamp at the Miller Electric Center, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect"Yeah, look, the Travis Hunter show is just getting started. I know there's been a lot of talk about where he will and won't play and how much usage. Look, he's ready to be unleashed and show why they drafted him number two overall. Talking to people there down in Jacksonville, he's running over 20 miles per hour, which was faster than he ran before that knee injury," Wolfe said. "He's cutting. He's in great shape. He should be full go for training camp, and he is still going to play both sides of the ball. The cool thing for Travis Hunter and the Jags is now they can unleash him as a starter on defense, and the goal is to eventually have him play nearly all the snaps on defense in a particular game. And they think he can be elite on that side of the ball."Travis Hunter show is just getting started. Year 2 should be box officeEarly insight into what to expect from #Jaguars unicorn as he’s set to be unleashed full go in training camp later this month: pic.twitter.com/EZSEXaU0us— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) July 8, 2026For as exciting as it will be for the Jaguars' team and base when Hunter is officially back on the field in full capacity, though, it is worth remembering that the timeline for Hunter could still look a bit different. Just consider this if you were the Jaguars: is it more important for Hunter to be ready for Day 1 of training camp or Week 1 vs. the Cleveland Browns? That is one way to say, do not be surprised if just Hunter is not exactly getting a full practice workload right off the bat, regardless of where he is in terms of his recovery. The Jaguars need Hunter for the long haul in 2026, and training camp is a very small and, ultimately, less significant piece of that journey. The Jaguars clearly expect Hunter to play a massive role this season, and their words and actions have followed the idea that they see Hunter as a dominant player at the cornerback position, while still adding value on offense. But they do not need Hunter to do as much on July 29 when the Jaguars are back on the practice field for the first time.Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) jogs on the field during the second day of minicamp at the Miller Electric Center, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Jacksonville. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectChances are Hunter will not get many reps in the preseason; Coen spoke this offseason about the desire to not play important players in such games, instead opting to use reps in joint practices to offset them and prevent injuries in games that do not matter toward the season's final record. This means that the first time we might really see Hunter utilized at his full potential will be vs. the Browns to start the season.That is the way it should be, though. While Hunter's return will certainly be a notable and joyus moment for the Jaguars this season, that celebration is not worth wins and losses come Week 1. The Jaguars need Hunter to take a big leap this season, especially at cornerback, and the Week 1 timeline is what really matters when it comes to that goal. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow