The New York Jets have made several changes in their second year under head coach Robert Saleh, and it’s possible that another one — involving wide receiver Denzel Mims — could be on the way.
Will Denzel Mims be traded?
Sources say that there seems to be a disconnect between the front office and coaching staff as it relates to Mims and his future with the Jets. While the front office believes in the second-round pick and wants the receiver to be part of the offense, the coaching staff has been down on Mims since last summer.
If Mims were to be traded, speculation is that the compensation would be slightly less than what the New England Patriots got in return for N’Keal Harry — a 2019 first-round pick — who was traded to the Chicago Bears for a conditional sixth-round pick that could become a fifth-rounder based on production.
Mims has had a disappointing start to his NFL career so far. After two seasons in the league, Mims has been hampered by both injuries and poor on-field performances. In his first season with the team after being drafted in the second round, Mims was only able to play for nine games. In those nine games, he amassed a lackluster 23 catches.
In 2021, although technically healthy, he found himself on the outside looking in and only caught eight passes. Granted, the quarterback play was quite inconsistent last season, with rookie Zach Wilson still getting acclimated to the NFL.
Heading into his third year now, Mims has only 490 career yards and is yet to catch his first touchdown in the NFL.
What makes the Mims’ situation especially difficult is the caliber of WRs that were drafted in the same year as him. Fellow second-round picks like Tee Higgins, Michael Pittman Jr., and Chase Claypool have all gone on to find success with their respective NFL franchises.