Denzel Mims’ disappointing New York Jets career appears to be nearing its end
According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, the New York Jets are planning to release wide receiver Denzel Mims if they cannot find a trade partner first.
The Jets plan on releasing WR Denzel Mims if they can’t find a trade partner first, according to sources. Mims, a 2020 second-round pick, will get a fresh start somewhere else.
— Brian Costello (@BrianCoz) July 19, 2023
The writing has been on the wall for the former 2020 second-round pick. Mims requested a trade last offseason, which never materialized. Then, after a quiet 2022 season, it appeared Mims was not a lock to make the Jets’ roster in 2023. Speaking to the media in May, head coach Robert Saleh merely stated that Mims “[has] got a chance to compete and make this roster.”
Mims, 25, was selected by New York with the 59th overall pick in the 2020 draft. The Baylor product had a promising rookie season in which he caught 23 passes for 357 yards in nine games, averaging 39.7 yards per game and 8.1 yards per target.
However, Mims declined heavily over the next two seasons. From 2021 to 2022, Mims caught just 19 passes for 319 yards in 21 games, giving him averages of 15.2 yards per game and 6.6 yards per target.
While Mims possesses exciting physical traits, standing at 6-foot-3 and 202 pounds with a 4.38 forty time, he has struggled with the fundamentals of the wide receiver position. Mims reportedly had issues grasping the playbook in practice, and during games, he was extremely prone to penalties and various other mental errors.
The exit of Mims would open an opportunity for one of the Jets’ undrafted free agent wide receivers to make the team. Jason Brownlee, Xavier Gipson, and Jerome Kapp are among the rookie wideouts who generated the most buzz during OTAs in May and June.
