The Jacksonville Jaguars have a promising trio of receivers in Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter, and Dyami Brown. On top of that, they have Parker Washington, Trenton Irwin, and Joshua Cephus in the fold.
And precisely because of the Jag's depth at receiver, a local voice just made a wild pitch.
The Jaguars are pitched to trade Parker Washington
Brent Martineau of Action News Jax just pondered the possibility of Jacksonville trading Parker Washington, pointing out that he may not get plenty of playing time behind Travis Hunter, Brian Thomas Jr., and Dyami Brown.
"Parker Washington, he's been a heck of a player for the Jacksonville Jaguars here this preseason. I actually have a goofy question, probably a goofy question. Do you at all think about trading him? Marineau wondered. "Because like you said it yesterday. And I kind of agree with you. When you have this many players, it's hard to get him enough snaps to kind of either satisfy him or do right by him."
Martineau continued, "Now, it's your No. 4 wide receiver at this moment, you have injuries, know on wood, but you have injuries to receivers a lot. So I'm not suggesting it, I don't want to come across that way. I'm just wondering, do you consider moving a guy like Washington, if there's some value to that based on just how much you're going to use him?"
While Martineau says that he's not outright suggesting the Jaguars trade Washington, he goes on to talk about the idea, so he is indeed kind of suggesting it.
For the sake of the argument, let's entertain the thought of trading Washington. On paper, it makes sense. After all, Washington is WR4 on the depth chart, and he may be the fifth or sixth receiving option when you take into account that the Jags will also get their running backs and tight end Brenton Strange in the passing game.
Couple that with the presence of Trenton Irwin, who filled in for Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins during his stint with the Cincinnati Bengals, and it's easy to see why Jacksonville could afford to move on from Washington. That said, there are other reasons why they steer clear.
Related: 5 Jaguars veterans who will undoubtedly get cut after the preseason
It doesn't make sense for the Jaguars to trade Parker Washington
A sixth-round pick in the 2023 draft, Parker Washington has shown that he's a capable slot receiver, filling in for Christian Kirk each of the past two years. Kirk is now gone, and the former Penn State Nittany Lion has taken advantage of his opportunities, making a strong impression in the offseason program and training camp.
Sure, Washington won't have a massive role on offense, but he still provides a reliable player in the slot. Moreover, he offers massive value on special teams as a returner. Last year, the Sugar Land, Texas native shined whenever he handled returned duties. If that wasn't enough, he has two years on his rookie deal, so keeping him around isn't cost-prohibitive.
Simply put, Parker Washington is a player that provides crucial depth and plenty of bang for their buck. And by trading him, the Jaguars would create an uncessaary void, so no, Brent Martinue's pitch doesn't make sense.