The regular season is inching closer, but the Jacksonville Jaguars haven't been able to extend Parker Washington. It seems like they're more than $10 million apart in negotiations. And based on the latest Michael Wilson news, the gap might have just widened even more.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the Arizona Cardinals just gave Wilson a three-year deal worth $75 million, with $47 million guaranteed and a max value of $78 million. The team announced the news not long after.
Wilson is coming off the first 1,000-yard season of his career, so you could make the case that the Cardinals didn't want to risk seeing his price go up even more if he had another strong year. Maybe the Jags should follow suit.
Michael Wilson just complicated talks between the Jaguars and Parker Washington
Michael Wilson hauled in 78 receptions for 1,006 yards with seven touchdowns in 2025. What stands out is that he had racked up just 52 yards the first five games to start the season. However, the 2023 third-round pick caught fire and went on to post career numbers the rest of the year. Parker Washington had a similar path, catching 58 receptions for 807 yards with five touchdowns after a slow start to 2025.
But unlike Wilson, Washington has yet to get a new deal even though he's had contract talks with Jacksonville for a while. Then again, Wilson's negotiations could give the Jags a reason for optimism. Josh Weinfuss of ESPN reported that the fourth-year wideout got $10 million more than the Cards originally offered, noting that the team progressively kept increasing its bid.
Then again, Wilson has been a more productive receiver than Washington (he has registered 750 more yards and four more touchdowns the past three years), so he had a stronger case to get the contract he was looking for. That said, his extension could incentivize the Jags to ramp up negotiations with Washington.
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The Jaguars and Parker Washington must touch base and get it done ASAP
Early in 2026, it seemed like a $64 million deal that averaged $16 million per year would be more than enough to lock up Parker Washington. However, other receivers aside from Michael Wilson have gotten extensions since the end of 2025. Couple that with the fact that teammate Jakobi Meyers got a three-year, $60 million contract last season, and it's easy to understand why Washington would want top-market compensation.
Granted, Washington's demands are unknown — at least for those of us who don't have direct access to the negotiation table — but rumors suggest he's looking for an amount between $20 million and $25 million. Regardless of the amount, the Jaguars need to put forth their best offer.
Then again, it's hard to imagine the Jags being cheap, so the former Penn State Nittany Lion needs to also do his part and compromise. If he doesn't, he'll need to bet on himself, but that means running the risk of getting a serious injury in 2026 that could prevent him from cashing in next year.
The truth is that the Jaguars and Parker Washington must find common ground and strike a deal as soon as possible to prevent the situation from lingering into the regular season. The Cardinals and Michael Wilson just showed them that it can be done.
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