The Jacksonville Jaguars entered the season with the expectation of a high-powered offense. The thought was that this would come from a solid rushing attack and improved quarterback play from Trevor Lawrence. More significantly, perhaps, was the depth that was perceived at the receiver position.
Second-year veteran Brian Thomas Jr. is coming off a Pro Bowl season, the Jags acquired fifth-year veteran Dyami Brown in free agency, and James "Trade 'em while you got 'em" Gladstone made a splash in the NFL Draft when he moved up to select Heisman Trophy-winning wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter.
Like more NFL seasons—especially if you're a Jags fan—it didn't work out as planned. Thomas has developed a case of the dropsies, and though Hunter has shown splashes, his dual responsibilities have led to a slow start on the offensive side of things. Now No. 12 has been placed on IR, meaning he'll not be available until Week 13 at the earliest, while Brown is battling an injury of their own.
To solve this problem, Gladstone has done what he does best: traded for Las Vegas Raiders' wide receiver Jakobi Meyers. While his addition will surely bolster the receivers' room, it also means some good news for third-year veteran Parker Washington, one of the few Jags receivers who have been consistent throughout the year.
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Addition of Jakobi Meyers likely puts Parker Washington back in the slot
Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington entered the season as the fourth option behind Thomas, Hunter, and Brown (not to mention tight end Brenton Strange, who caught 204 yards in five games prior to his injury). Thanks in part to the lackluster performances of the wide receivers, Washington remained a consistent option for Lawrence, ranking No. 3 in receiving yards, just one yard behind Hunter.
However, Washington has been splitting time between inside and outside positions, in part due to injuries. At just 5-foot-10, he belongs in the slot, where Lawrence has historically done a good job of feeding his receivers. While Meyers himself is often thought of as a slot receiver, he just had his best season with the Raiders in 2024 despite playing only 33 percent of his time inside.
Moving Washington inside as the primary slot receiver will continue to boost his already-improving numbers. Last week, he caught a career-high eight receptions for 90 yards. Through just eight games, he's already approaching his total yards from last year (297 so far vs. 390 in 2024). With the struggles in the receiver room and the addition of another outside threat in Meyers, Washington should continue to get his chance to shine—now almost exclusively from the slot, where his skillset is best utilized.
The key variable to uncover for Parker Washington with Jakobi Meyers now in the fold will be who takes more reps in the slot?
Explained with @justinboone on the show that it's not a coincidence that Washington had his best game this year after taking over the best role for him… pic.twitter.com/qEzTOik8VU
— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) November 4, 2025
Head coach Liam Coen, when discussing Meyers' short week of training ahead of their game against Houston, voiced his opinion on Washington's primary position as slot receiver (4:15 mark). "The 'F' [typically the slot position] is the guy that needs to do more of the adjusting, and that's where Parker will be playing."
Final thoughts
Parker Washington has been continually praised by most of the leadership within the Jaguars organization. Even though he's played well inside and out, his skillset fits best into the slot. With the addition of another outside receiver, expect to see No. 11 line up inside more often.