The Jacksonville Jaguars are 1-1 to start 2025 and could be 2-0 had they played just a bit better against the Cincinnati Bengals. Looking back, self-inflicted wounds ended up costing the game. On the other hand, there were several reasons for optimism. One of them was third-year pro Parker Washington's play.
After not logging a single catch in the opener, Washington hauled in five passes for 76 yards on five targets in Week 2. This is noteworthy because other Jaguars receivers have dealt with drops. Not the former Penn State Nittany Lion, who's quickly establishing himself as a mainstay in Liam Coen's scheme.
And in case you wanted to see just how good Washington is at reeling 50/50 balls, below is a sample.
Parker Washington is good for a couple of these spectacular grabs a game lol. Really good going above the rim to get the ball despite his size pic.twitter.com/OPqkV2oZFb
— JP Acosta (@acosta32_jp) September 15, 2025
The Jaguars have a playmaker in slot receiver Parker Washington
When Liam Coen took over as the head coach, there were concerns about Parker Washington's role in the new scheme. After all, he mostly operated in the slot each of the past two years, and his 5-foot-11 frame didn't seem to be a good fit. Similarly, his lack of size didn't make him an ideal option to line up in the boundaries. However, that's not been an issue.
Right off the bat, Washington put his head down and got to work. Throughout the offseason program, he caught the eye of the new regime. And his strong performance carried over into training camp. Heck, he played so well that vying for a starting role suddenly looked like a viable option.
Fast forward to the regular season, and Washington has logged 34 offensive snaps this season, and 19 of those have been on pass plays. Of those 19 snaps, five have been on the slot and 14 out wide. Granted, the Sugar Land, Texas native hasn't gotten as much playing time as Dyami Brown, Travis Hunter, or Brian Thomas Jr.
However, the coaching staff cannot justify keeping Washington on the sidelines based on how consistent he's been.
Related: Powerful postgame speech shows Jags have the right coach in Liam Coen
Expect the Jaguars to increase Parker Washington's workload in the upcoming weeks
Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. is in a funk, and Dyami Brown let a pass go through his hands that would've given the Jacksonville Jaguars the winning touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals. On the other hand, Travis Hunter is still getting acclimated to the NFL. Meanwhile, Parker Washington has come through when called upon, and the Jaguars have most definitely taken notice.
Since taking over, Liam Coen has preached competition, and if Washington is proving that he'll make plays when he gets the ball, Jacksonville is going to simply keep feeding him. He probably won't be WR1 anytime soon or get ahead of Travis Hunter on the depth chart. That said, an uptick in both playing time and targets is reasonable following his impressive outing in Week 1.
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