An opportunity is only an opportunity, it is what you make of it that truly makes the difference.
Due to an implosion of injuries (Corey Davis, Elijah Moore) and COVID-related issues (Jeff Smith), the Jets WR depth chart was tested against the New Orleans Saints.
On Sunday New York Jets wide receiver Denzel Mims had an opportunity to start and make an impact. Unfortunately for a variety of reasons that didn’t come to fruition and he ended up getting benched.
ALL the latest Jets news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Jets newsletter here!
Benched and Eviscerated
The former Baylor product was targeted once but didn’t register a single statistic in the Week 14 matchup versus the Saints.
Although he did end up on the box score for all the wrong reasons committing two egregious errors that cost his team and resulted in him getting some additional time on the bench.
#Jets HC Robert Saleh said WR Denzel Mims’ penalties ‘were killer’ but also said ‘it isn’t like anyone is coming back’ so almost by default Mims will continue to get opportunities in final 4 games w/ all the WR injuries: #NOvsNYJ #TakeFlight #NFL
“Who was Zach Wilson going to throw it to? Denzel Mims? He doesn’t even know how to line up properly and yes he deserved that benching”, ESPN’s Rich Cimini on the Flight Deck Podcast. “All that talk about accountability and he didn’t even want to show up on Sunday or Monday to talk to the media. I think that’s wrong, come on Denzel you gotta man up.”
He later added that Mims has “physical potential” but argued there is more to being a success in the NFL than traits. Cimini said the young wideout still “has some maturing to do.”
Mims denied interview requests with the media and head coach Robert Saleh said after the game he’ll speak for the young wide receiver and said, “he needs to be better from a responsibility standpoint” after his subpar outing and benching.
An Opportunity Still Exists
With all of the injuries at wideout, this past Sunday was a golden opportunity for Mims to show he is every bit the playmaker we saw during his rookie season.
Unfortunately, he squandered that opportunity in epic fashion.
The good news is he still has four more games to prove it. Saleh said it rather bluntly after the game “it isn’t like anyone is coming back” so the reps will be there by default.
After having 24 hours to decompress and watch the film, coach Saleh was a lot more optimistic about what Mims will show and the support from the organization.
“Denzel is going to get this right and we are going to help him get right. Mims has great intent and he is trying to get better”, Saleh said on The Michael Kay Show. “Think about his first two years in the league: COVID, injuries, missed half of training camp, and learning a new system. He just hasn’t been able to get a steady stream of football going. By no means has anyone given up on Mims inside this building. People haven’t seen the last of him and he’ll be back on the football field this week.”
Mims has been one of the most polarizing players on the Jets this year. There is a large portion of the fans who believe he has unbelievable upside and others are fed up with his mistakes.
While his first two years have been a complete series of unfortunate events, Mims has to overcome these obstacles. Earlier in the year, other players were above him on the depth chart and he couldn’t even consistently get on the football field.
Now he will get physical reps on the field and it is up to him to make the most of him to guarantee a spot on this team in 2022.
Follow @BoyGreen25 & @obermuller_nyj on Twitter for all the latest New York Jets breaking news, rumors, fresh takes and more!
READ NEXT: New Jets Veteran Earned Himself a ‘Lifetime Contract’, Says Insider
Comments
Jets Starting Playmaker Benched, Needs to ‘Man up’