The Jacksonville Jaguars are dealing with a myriad of injuries in the preseason, so the news that wide receiver Parker Washington will be missing time is a reason for concern. The silver lining is that he's expected to return soon.
Michael DiRocco of ESPN reported that Parker Washington is out with an undisclosed injury but will return for the preseason finale. On a related note, sophomore running back LeQuint Allen Jr. suffered a soft tissue injury and won't be back for training camp.
While both Washington and Allen are crucial pieces of the Jacksonville offensive puzzle, the former's absence for a prolonged time would be a bigger blow.
The Jaguars cannot afford to lose Parker Washington to injury
The Jaguars are stacked at receiver, with Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, and Brian Thomas Jr. slated to start. Travis Hunter will have a part-time role on offense, while rookies Josh Cameron and CJ Williams are expected to contribute next season.
But as good as their receiver depth is, the Jags cannot afford to miss Washington. Precisely a few days ago, Michael DiRocco wrote that the former Penn State Nittany Lion had established himself as the bona fide No. 1 receiver in Duval, adding that he was Trevor Lawrence's favorite target and always appeared to be open.
You could make the case that Washington only hauled in 807 yards on 58 catches last year, but he's kept improving and is projected to be even better next season. Heck, nobody would bat an eye if the Sugar Land, Texas native flirted with the 1,000-yard mark.
That said, his current injury doesn't appear to be serious, and both Meyers and Thomas have had 1,000-yard seasons in the past, so they could most definitely step up if Washington were to miss time.
Either way, Washington will be a big part of the offense next season, and losing him would be a big blow if he were to miss time, even though the Jags have a pair of capable replacements.
What will the Jaguars during Parker Washington's absence
Parker Washington was dominating training camp before the undisclosed injury. If a player didn't need any extra work, it was him. During his absence, the Jaguars can evaluate the bottom half of the depth chart. Tim Jones, Trebor Pena, Austin Trammell, and Chandler Brayboy may not have a chance to make the 53-man roster but could be competing for a roster spot on the practice squad.
With Washington out of the picture for the next two games (he shouldn't suit up for the finale), all of them will get as many snaps as they can get.
On a related note, this is just a conjecture, but it's possible that Washington is holding in. Granted, most players who hold in usually show up to practice and stay on the sidelines. However, the fourth-year receiver could be using the injury as leverage in talks for a new deal, one he's earned. Again, this is just a theory, but he's done everything he can, and the team's brass has yet to reward him.
In the end, the Jaguars don't have anything to worry about if Parker Washington only misses a week of practice. But if it's any more than that, whether it's for injury or contract reasons, they could be in trouble.
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