In the fourth year of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ rebuild after the 2020 season, the Jaguars have a roster filled with experienced and distinguished veterans, young players on the rise, and recent draft picks still looking to make a name for themselves and breakout.
One such player who fits the mold of the latter is second-year wide receiver Parker Washington. Washington was injured for much of his rookie year but still made several standout plays for the Jaguars’ offense following Christian Kirk’s injury.
Washington carried that momentum and a clean bill of health to this offseason, with Washington earning praise from the coaching staff for his performance during OTAs and minicamp. As a result, it is Washington’s name that came up in Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr’s list of each AFC team’s most underrated player.
“O.K., this may be a tad out of left field and more of a projection. Washington had some difficult moments last year, but did rise to the occasion when getting worked into the offense toward the end of the season. The catches he did make were often difficult ones and showed some clear finesse on his part. Having a solid contested catch reputation as a rookie is always worth noting. Relative to his draft slot—Washington was a sixth-round pick out of Penn State in 2023—the Jaguars asked a lot of him. All indications from this offseason seem to be that he’s growing in the offense, and while the Jaguars imported a lot of talent at the position, Washington is healthier than he’s ever been.”
– Conor Orr, Sports Illustrated
“I think what you’re seeing with Parker is the confidence. The confidence in him playing last year, understanding what it takes, watching Christian [Kirk],” Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said earlier this month.
“Again, another young player that came back in the right frame of mind and excited to get on the field. I think he’s another one that’s healthy now and moving around really well. It’s good to see.”
Washington is currently in his longest span of complete health during his time as a Jaguar, with the sixth-round pick slipping in the 2023 NFL Draft due to an ankle injury at the end of his final season at Penn State.
Washington made his NFL debut in Week 4 last year but suffered a knee injury on his first career punt return, leading to a short stint on IR. He returned later in the year, averaging 37 snaps a game and catching two touchdowns in the process.
