JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser, senior correspondent Brian Sexton and team reporter Kainani Stevens offer quick thoughts on the Jaguars as they prepare to play the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, in a 2025 Week 2 game Sunday at 1 p.m.

John Oehser, Jaguars Senior Writer…

1. More to come. Jaguars wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter remains one the NFL's biggest stories – and the thought here is his story will get bigger as the season continues. That's because his snaps – and big-play opportunities – are only going to grow. Hunter, the No. 2 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, played 42 snaps on offense and six on defense in a 26-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers at EverBank Stadium this past Sunday. That led many observers to believe that will be Hunter's normal workload moving forward. Not likely. While Hunter will remain a key part of the Jaguars' offense because of his explosiveness and open-field ability, his playing time on defense likely will increase significantly quickly because he's too skilled and too valuable at cornerback not to play. Head Coach Liam Coen has been transparent discussing Hunter, saying his relatively light defensive workload Sunday was the result of missing 10 days during training camp. Coen, too, said he expects Hunter's role to "expand." Hunter's debut was comparatively quiet. The guess here is this noise gets louder soon.
2. Free-agent frenzy. Free agency can be a risky NFL proposition. But there are cases when it's necessary and productive, and this Jaguars season may be an example of the latter if Week 1 results become a season-long norm. The victory over Carolina featured a slew of front-line performances from players who signed as unrestricted free agents this past offseason: Safety Eric Murray, guard Patrick Mekari/center Robert Hainsey, wide receiver Dyami Brown, cornerback Jourdan Lewis and defensive end Dawuane Smoot. Murray had a deflection that led to an interception, with Mekari and Hainsey keying a running offense that produced 200 yards. Lewis had multiple key plays, including a late-game interception, and Smoot registered the Jaguars' only sack. "For the new guys in the room, everybody's looking at us like, 'Oh, are they going to make plays, are they going to do what we sign them to do and stuff like that?'" Smoot said. "I feel like we all showed up." Free agency isn't the path to long-term stability. But the Jaguars appear to have used it efficiently this offseason with great rewards thus far.

Brian Sexton, Senior Correspondent…

1. I don't know that I've ever heard an offensive line so roundly praised as the Jaguars' line has been this week. I'm told the entire front five played very, very well Sunday – and 200 rushing yards and no sacks allowed make that seem obvious. But usually there is at least one guy who didn't play that well or needed some help with the guy across from him. I this case, I'm told, from left to right – Walker Little, Ezra Cleveland, Hainsey, Mekari and Anton Harrison all played well. That's critical for a team that wants to play that physical style every week. The running game sets the tone when it pushes the defense off the line of scrimmage and wears them down run after run. That keeps the defense on the sideline for an extended time, which makes them capable of playing their own brand of physical football. No one jumped up and down when the Jaguars signed Hainsey, Mekari and Chuma Edoga last spring but nearly everyone is excited today about what seems possible with this group.
2. Brenton Strange is already one of the NFL's best young tight ends – and he's one game into his career as the Jaguar's No. 1 tight end. It's not fair to compare him to the big name guys, like Greg Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers – who is one of his favorite players. But try to find a young tight end who currently is as complete a player as Strange. Brock Bowers in Las Vegas is an exceptional receiving tight end, but doesn't match Strange's physical presence. Nor does Sam LaPorta in Detroit, Isaiah Likely in Baltimore or Dalton Kincaid in Buffalo. Same for the physical guys, who don't match his ability as a receiver. He's getting a lot of attention on social media for his crushing block on Panthers safety Tre'von Moehrig, but if you focus on Strange, you see him knocking people off the football or running them over with the ball in his hands. He might never match the numbers of Bowers and LaPorta, but he's an excellent young player and people around the game won't miss him anymore.

Kainani Stevens, Jaguars Team Reporter/Producer ...

1. The Jaguars should run it until the wheels fall off. The Jaguars have emphasized establishing the run during the offseason and words were put into action against Carolina. The Jags' offense combined for 200 rushing yards, which is an impressive mark for a team that hasn't surpassed 200 yards on the ground since October 2022. I don't believe the trade sending Tank Bigsby to Philadelphia will put any damper on the ground game for this offense. Travis Etienne Jr. has earned his starting spot, but expect to see an increase in carries for rookie Bhayshul Tuten and more situational downs for rookie LeQuint Allen Jr. I look forward to quarterback Trevor Lawrence's continued progression in the new offensive scheme, but in the meantime I hope they run the damn ball.
2. Players not plays come through on defense. The Jaguars' two defensive captains made critical plays at critical times against the Panthers. Lewis was efficient at every level including an interception, a quarterback and a fumble recovery. An interception and forced fumble for linebacker Foyesade Oluokun earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Both players credited the good communication on the field allowing them the freedom to make big plays in big moments.