The Jaguars came out of Week 9 with plenty to like, and the biggest stock mover on offense is still Parker Washington.
Even in a game where he finished with only two catches, Washington kept showing why his role keeps growing. One of his missed chances was a drop on a screen that should have gone for a touchdown, but he also delivered the game’s defining play: a 50-yard catch-and-run against the blitz that showed exactly how Trevor Lawrence and Washington can punish defenses when they need a spark.
The volume keeps backing up the production, too. Washington saw seven targets against Baltimore after getting only two in the run-heavy Week 8 win over the Indianapolis Colts, which ended at halftime.
Add in the 20 combined targets he drew during the two-game London stretch, and it’s clear he’s been treated like a WR1 more often than not, outside of the Cincinnati Bengals game and the Colts matchup. That kind of usage only strengthens the case for his eventual payday.
On the other side of the ledger, rookie safety Jalen Huskey is still waiting for a real chance. The Jaguars have a need at safety heading into the trade deadline, and part of that comes down to the fact that they haven’t really opened the door for Huskey.
Even when injuries hit the position in Weeks 5 and 6, the Jaguars still didn’t turn him loose on defense. He’s logged 27 defensive snaps over the last two weeks because of blowouts, but the team doesn’t appear eager to expand his role.
Huskey plays hard and can help on special teams, but right now he looks more like a redshirt candidate than a player on the rise.
Montaric Brown, meanwhile, has given the secondary a real lift since returning from injury. Brown hurt his hamstring in Week 3, missed Weeks 4 and 6, and played only six snaps in Week 5, but since the bye week he’s looked much more stable in coverage.
Against the Colts, he allowed just 27 yards on 32 coverage snaps. He followed that with a strong showing against the Ravens, giving up three catches for 18 yards while also grabbing an interception.
He’s done a good job limiting yards after the catch and explosive plays, and the entire pass defense has looked tighter with him back in the mix.
There’s also a clear divide between what the Jaguars’ staff sees in Wesley Williams and where his stock actually sits. Liam Coen and Anthony Campanile have praised the fourth-round rookie defensive end in practice and labeled him a riser, but the regular season has told a different story.
Williams was a healthy scratch again in Week 9 against Baltimore, his eighth straight inactive as a rookie. He’s been behind undrafted defensive end Bryan Thomas Jr. every week, and even with Travon Walker listed as questionable before the game, Williams still didn’t get the call.
Walker ended up playing after a pre-game workout, and it now looks like Williams only gets dressed if two defensive ends, including the still-injured B.J. Green, are out.
At this point, it’s a redshirt rookie season.
Tanner Koziol is trending in a more encouraging direction. The fifth-round rookie out of Houston barely had a role early in the season beyond a few special teams snaps, but his workload has grown as the Jaguars have found their rhythm.
That started with more involvement in the close Week 6 game against the Houston Texans, so it’s not just a product of recent blowouts. Over the last three weeks, Koziol has averaged 14 snaps per game after playing only 19 snaps in the first five games.
He didn’t see a target through the first six weeks, then suddenly caught three passes for 23 yards over the last two games, including two grabs for 15 yards against the Ravens. The numbers aren’t flashy, but his role in three-tight end sets is growing, and so is the expectation that he’ll keep getting more chances.
In Other News...
Jaguars Are Forcing Their Way Into The AFC Contender Debate
Through eight weeks, the Jaguars have done more than stay relevant in the AFC race. They have pushed themselves into the conversation with the kind of steady play that forces the rest of the conference to take notice. In a league where the Chiefs and Bills usually dominate the contender discussion, Jacksonville has earned a seat at the table by showing it can stack wins, handle pressure and look every bit like a team with playoff staying power.
What makes the Jaguars interesting is not just where they sit right now, but how they fit into a crowded field of hopefuls. The AFC remains loaded, and the margin between legitimate contender and good story is thin, especially with strong teams still sorting out their identities. Jacksonville has already done enough to be mentioned alongside the conferences best, and the real question now is whether this level of play is the start of something bigger or simply the opening act. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Face A Surprising Brian Thomas Jr Decision As Deadline Nears
The Jaguars have spent the season trying to build toward a competitive finish, but one of the more surprising questions hanging over the roster is what to do with Brian Thomas Jr. Despite his limited role in the offense, Jacksonville has been hesitant to move the wide receiver, even as the deadline approaches and the fit has clearly become less comfortable. For a team looking to add rather than subtract, it is an unusual spot to be in with a player whose playing time has already slipped.
Still, the trade chatter has not gone away, and the expectation around the league is that Thomas could be dealt before the deadline, potentially to a noncontending team looking for help at receiver. The Jaguars are weighing a decision that speaks to both the direction of the season and the way the offense has evolved, with Thomas now at the center of a move that would say plenty about where Jacksonville sees its immediate future. [Read more 🡒]
Jakobi Meyers Trade Looks Better Than Jaguars Fans Expected
When the Jaguars sent a 2026 fourth-rounder and sixth-rounder to the Raiders for Jakobi Meyers, it looked like the kind of midseason move that might need time to prove itself. ESPNs Seth Walder has now revisited the deal and moved Jacksonvilles grade from a C+ to a B+, a sign the early returns have been stronger than many expected. Meyers has fit into the offense well enough to draw an in-season contract extension, which is usually a pretty good indicator a trade is doing more than just filling a short-term need.
For Jacksonville, the appeal goes beyond what Meyers has already provided on the field. Walder pointed out that the move has also helped the Jaguars 2026 outlook, which matters when a team is trying to balance present production with future flexibility. The full value of the trade still depends on what comes next, but for now it looks like one of those deals that is aging better than the initial reaction suggested. [Read more 🡒]