Strap In: 4 Questions While Scenario-Planning Hunter’s 2nd Contract

The Jaguars were wise to guarantee Travis Hunter’s full signing bonus on the rookie contract he signed this past weekend – and not simply because it sent a great message to their locker room. In three years, they’re going to need everything they can get in what figures to serve as one of the most interesting second contracts in NFL history.

The timeline officially begins at the conclusion of Hunter’s third NFL regular season, when the Jaguars likely will play all their home games away from Jacksonville. NFL players can sign their first career extensions following the last game of the third regular season after they’re drafted.

And it’s certainly not too early to begin talking about Hunter’s second contract. Odds are likely James Gladstone already has an important file dedicated to the subject. Here are four pivotal questions regarding that next step, as Mike Florio discussed on Tuesday’s edition of the PFT PM podcast.

Question 1: Assuming Hunter plays both offense and defense and leads the league in snaps over the next three years, should that warrant more pay? Hunter’s first contract, like any rookie, is slotted by the Collective Bargaining Agreement based on where he was drafted (second overall) but has much more negotiating room in the second deal.

“And this is to me the most fascinating aspect of the entire Travis Hunter experience,” Florio said. “Because the Jaguars are going to pay one guy one rate to do two jobs. And by rule, there's no way he can get paid to play two positions because his compensation under his rookie contract is driven by one thing and one thing only: The spot where he was drafted.”

Question 2: Should the Jaguars and Hunter reach an impasse in negotiations, what happens when Hunter refuses to play either offense or defense in attempt to capture leverage?

“It gets very interesting,” Florio said, “if the team tries to tell him he's going to play two positions. He would take it up with the union. I don't think it's ever going to get to that. … But once the window opens for a second contract, that's when he can say, ‘Hey, wait a minute; I'm doing two jobs full-time. You're paying me for one. That's got to change.’

Question 3: In 2027, will Jacksonville strategically structure his playing time with more snaps on defense? Wide receivers are currently paid more than cornerbacks and the CBA prescribes values for fifth-year options and franchise-tag designations based on the highest average annual pay at the position a player plays most.

“I believe one of the reasons the Jaguars would have to trade up from 5 to 2 and give up next year's first-round draft pick plus more to get Travis Hunter,” Florio said, “they see that they're getting two players for the price of one for his four-year rookie contract and maybe the fifth-year option, which will be driven by one position or the other, not both.

“He'll either get a fifth-year option premised on him playing receiver or a fifth-year option premised on him playing defensive back. It's going to depend on where he takes more of his snaps. Same thing for the franchise tag.”

Question 4: Will Hunter ask for more guarantees than other young stars simply because his injury risk is greater because he plays on both sides of the ball?

“If they think he's going to be an effective receiver and an effective cornerback, and if that's the case, at some point, they've got to pay,” Florio added. “It's going to be one of the most challenging and unique negotiations we have ever seen.

“Good problem to have for the Jaguars. Because I say time and again, the only good problem is no problem. And if this thing works out as well as the Jaguars hope, it could be a problem looming for the Jaguars. A good problem.

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