The Jacksonville Jaguars have assembled a well-rounded arsenal for Trevor Lawrence. The wide receiver corps, in particular, appears to be a strength, with Jakobi Meyers, Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, and Travis Hunter in the mix. The one issue is that the Jags may not be able to keep them together beyond 2026.
Whereas Hunter, Meyers, and Thomas are under contract for a few more years, Washington is slated to become a free agent in 2027. This led an analyst to argue that extending him is Jacksonville's biggest priority.
The Jaguars are being urged to re-sign Parker Washington
Aaron Schatz of ESPN drew up a list of pending things to do for each NFL team before training camp. For the Jaguars, he says re-signing Parker Washington should be a priority, arguing that he'll be a pivotal offensive piece with Travis Hunter slated to play cornerback full-time.
"Washington had a breakout performance in his third season, catching 58 passes for 847 yards and five touchdowns," Schatz wrote. "His 11.1% DVOA ranked 21st among qualifying receivers. However, he becomes a free agent after this season."
Schatz continued, "Washington is going to be very important to the Jacksonville offense, especially if Travis Hunter is going to be concentrating more on playing defense this season. The Jaguars might want to get him locked in for the next few seasons before he gets a chance to repeat last year's big numbers."
Hunter will tentatively play cornerback full-time next season but will still play two ways. Nevertheless, Washington could have a bigger role next season. Head coach Liam Coen has made it clear that he wants the former Penn State Nittany Lion to get deep more often, so there's a chance he could post even better numbers. This is why it makes sense for Jacksonville to lock him up early.
The issue is that the receiver market has gone up the past few months. Earlier this year, Washington was projected to get a four-year deal worth $64 million, but his price might have increased in light of the extensions the Green Bay Packers gave to Jaydan Reed and Christian Watson in the offseason.
This begs the question, just how much are the Jaguars' top brass willing to fork out to keep Washington from leaving? At this point, a contract that averages $18 million to $20 million per year sounds like a realistic amount, especially if Jacksonville waits until late in 2026 or next year to lock him up.
The Jaguars have insurance in case Parker Washington leaves
Early in the offseason, vice president of team operations Tony Boselli said that the Jaguars were working diligently to extend Parker Washington and tight end Brenton Strange. They have yet to strike a deal with either player, and from an outside perspective, it's hard to tell if they'll get it done in 2026.
It's possible that the Jags already made an offer, but it doesn't meet Washington or Strange's demands. The trouble is that the longer the franchise waits to extend either one, the more it will have to eventually fork out.
Washington, in particular, would garner plenty of interest in the open market if he were available. Although he mostly lined up in the slot early is career, he showed in 2025 that he can thrive in the boundaries. That could, in turn, make him an appealing choice in a free-agent market that will be lacking many intriguing alternatives unless Chris Olave or George Pickens are available.
Worst-case scenario, the Jaguars will need to brace for Washington's potential exit if his contract demands exceed their budget. If he does leave, rookies Josh Cameron and CJ Williams will give Jacksonville valuable insurance in 2027.
Of course, neither Cameron nor Williams is a proven commodity, so Washington's departure could leave a massive void on offense.
The Jaguars offense hit its stride once Parker Washington stepped into a bigger role in 2025. Thus, re-signing him should be a no-brainer, even if it is a bit more expensive than originally expected.
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