Denzel

Mims

Mims is now looking for his fourth team in the last year after being let go by the Jaguars. The former second-round pick caught just one pass for seven yards this preseason and was buried on a depth chart that features several talented receivers. Still only 26 years old, this may not be the end of Mims’ career, but things aren’t looking good for a guy who hasn’t played a regular-season snap since 2022.

Mims was released by the Steelers earlier this week and will now have a chance to compete for a spot on the Jaguars’ roster this offseason. The former second-round pick hasn’t played a regular-season snap since 2022 and is now set to join his fourth team over that span. He’ll face an uphill battle to make a Jaguars roster that returns Christian Kirk and also added Gabe Davis, Devin Duvernay, and Brian Thomas Jr. this offseason.

Mims was signed to the Steelers’ practice squad in October, but the former second-round pick of the Jets didn’t appear in any games. Marquez Callaway was also on the Steelers’ practice squad, so both former fantasy sleeper darlings will hope to fight their way onto the active roster in 2024.

Mims finds a new home after spending a short time with the Lions. The Steelers need receiver depth and are looking for Mims to fill a void. He’s still recovering from an ankle injury that he suffered in training camp with the Lions.

Mims will presumably pass through waivers and revert to injured reserve, giving him a chance to remain with the team once healthy. This move comes just one day after head coach Dan Campbell said Mims was “in the room” when asked about the progress of Mims and his wide receiver room as a whole. What sounded like a poor review of Mims may have had to do more with his injury than his on-field performance. The conditional 2025 sixth-round pick the Lions sent to the Jets in exchange for Mims will also go back to the Lions with this move.

Tell us how you really feel, Dan. The expectations for Mims were low heading into camp after the Lions acquired him in exchange for a conditional 2025 sixth-round pick, but it sounds like the former second-round pick is struggling in camp — to say the least. An already thin receiver room could be enough to keep Mims from getting cut by camp’s end, but Campbell’s quote was yet another “down bad” moment for a receiver who has struggled to live up to his high draft capital.

Though the Lions paid next to nothing for Mims, it’s still impressive to see Jets GM Joe Douglas get anything in return for a player who was expected to be cut in the coming days. Douglas executed a similar move in 2022 when he got a sixth-round pick from the Texans for linebacker Blake Cashman. The Jets have also moved on from busts with higher profiles in recent years including Sam Darnold and Elijah Moore. Mims showed promise in his rookie season, going for 357 yards in nine games. Since then, the Robert Saleh regime has shut him out of the lineup. Mims has just 319 receiving yards over the last two years. Mims will look to jumpstart his career on an ascending Detroit offense, though he remains an afterthought in even deep dynasty leagues for now.

For now, Mims remains with the Jets, but a trade/release of the veteran receiver appears imminent at this time. A former second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Mims’ time with the Jets has been turbulent, to say the least. Once viewed as a receiver who would offer high-end production for years to come, Mims has just 42 catches for 676 yards through three seasons and has become an afterthought in New York’s offense. Regardless of where he lands, Mims is unlikely to have any significant fantasy upside this season.

It comes as little surprise that the Jets are looking to deal Mims before the regular season. The team has a glut of new wideouts that came with Aaron Rodgers and his tour of New York. Mims missed the second half of last season for unknown reasons, and has just 42 receptions over his first three NFL seasons. Garafolo said teams have been in contact with the Jets about acquiring Mims, who has been excused from Jets training camp. An intriguing prospect coming out of college, Mims, entering his age-26 season, could make sense as a wideout depth signing for another team in the next few weeks.

Not that this wasn’t spelled out via New York’s offseason moves, as they didn’t get rid of Corey Davis and also brought in Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, but Mims could be a trade candidate as we head into camp and/or last cuts. He did practice some at OTAs, but also missed the latter half for “unknown reasons.” Mims, entering the final year of his rookie contract, has a 42/676/0 career line in three seasons.