The Jacksonville Jaguars just showed their commitment to building one of the best special teams cores in the NFL, signing long-snapper Ross Matiscik to a two-year extension. However, there are other players who are eligible for new deals, and the Jaguars need to take care of them sooner rather than later. Wide receiver Parker Washington most definitely fits the bill.
A sixth-round pick in the 2023 draft, Washington has quickly established himself as a mainstay of the Jacksonville offense. He's coming off a breakout season and will be a free agent in 2027. It would make sense for the Jags to sign him next after locking up Matiscik.
The Jaguars have an obvious extension candidate in Parker Washington
Parker Washington didn't get much playing time in his first two seasons because he was stashed behind veteran Christian Kirk. Since both of them mostly operated in the slot, Washington only got playing time when Kirk missed time with injuries. Nevertheless, he made the most of his chances, and Jacksonville paved the way for when they traded Kirk to the Houston Texans in 2025. The decision paid off right off the bat.
One of the biggest tweaks Liam Coen made as the head coach was that he had Washington line up both inside and outside. The move led to a career-best 58 receptions for 707 yards with five touchdowns. In an effort to build off of his 2025 success, he hired a personal trainer full-time to be prepared for a bigger role next season.
The Jaguars, for their part, expect Washington to run more vertical routes next season. Nobody will bat an eye if he posts even better numbers, which is why the team's brass needs to lock him up as soon as possible.
The Jaguars will need to pay Parker Washington top-market money
Early in 2026, team vice president of football operations Tony Boselli said that the Jaguars were working to extend Parker Washington and tight end Brenton Strange. So far, they've yet to reach deals with either one, but the franchise is surely having contract talks behind the scenes.
Washington, in particular, could command $20 million per year. After the 2025 season, it seemed like a four-year, $64 million deal would get the job done. However, receivers Jayden Reed and Christian Watson have raised the bar after getting deals that pay them an annual average of $16.75 million and $18 million per year. Washington is arguably better than both of them, so he may want a contract that pays them more.
Now, it's hard to tell what the Jaguars' budget is, but Washington could want as much as $20 million per year. If they aren't willing to pay him that, he could bet on himself and hit the open market next year. Of course, the best course of action would be to get a deal done, and that pays him around $17 million to $18 million and prevent it from becoming a distraction next season.
The Jaguars are making an effort to retain their homegrown talent, having extended Travon Walker and Ross Matiscik over the past few months. It's now time for them to turn their attention to Parker Washington.
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