Getty New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh staring off during an NFL game.
New York Jets wide receiver Denzel Mims is done with the organization that selected him with the No. 59 overall pick in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft.
According to a statement from his agent, the former Baylor product has requested a trade (via Brian Costello of the New York Post):
“It’s just time. Denzel has tried in good faith but it’s clear he does not have a future with the Jets. Denzel vowed to come back better than ever this season and he worked extremely hard in the offseason to make that happen. Still, he has been given no opportunities to work with the starting offense to get into a groove with them. We feel at this point a trade is our only option since the Jets have repeatedly told us they will not release him. Joe Douglas has always done right by Denzel and we trust that he will do everything in his power to find him another team where Denzel can be a contributor.”
BREAKING: Jets WR Denzel Mims has requested a trade, per his agent Ron Slavin.
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The Shoe Has Finally Dropped
Mims had a lot of high hopes coming out of Baylor and showed some real promise in his rookie campaign:
- 23 receptions
- 357 receiving yards
- Averaged over 15.5 yards per reception
However when a coaching change happened that offseason it never seemed like Mims could get on the same page as head coach Robert Saleh and the rest of the staff.
#Jets HC Robert Saleh loved the fire from Denzel Mims (@Zel5Zelly) who told media last week that he views himself as a starter, ‘if he didn’t think he was, I would think there’d be a severe problem’ + admitted DM has ‘expressed frustration’: 🎥 @nyjets #TakeFlight #JetsCamp
Everyone has said the right things this offseason, but recently it became apparent that Mims was frustrated and he has expressed that to the coaching staff regarding his role.
The 24-year-old disgruntled draft choice said his goal was to be a starter for the Jets in 2022 but said it is up to the coaching staff if they wanted to play him.
A fiery Denzel Mims (@Zel5Zelly) says his goal is to be a starting WR for the #Jets in 2022, ‘I show it everyday, so it’s up to them if they want to play me or not, but I show it everyday what I can do & I’m going to continue to do that’ 👀: 🎥 @nyjets #TakeFlight #JetsCamp
Writing Has Been on the Wall
The Jets made a concerted effort to attack the wide receiver room this offseason.
Their prized gem, Corey Davis, is heading into his second season and the same can be said for promising wideout Elijah Moore.
Additionally, they re-signed Braxton Berrios to a two-year deal for $12 million during free agency. The cherry on top of this pie came via the No. 10 overall pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft when they snagged Garrett Wilson.
Prior to pulling the trigger on that selection, the Jets openly flirted with several blockbuster wide receiver trades this offseason.
With all of that being the case the Jets’ top four on the depth chart was set in stone. That meant at best Mims would serve as the fifth wide receiver, however, he has been outplayed by backup and special teamer Jeff Smith.
That has now made the former highly touted wide receiver the sixth stringer. Minimal special teams experience from Mims made this pairing unlikely heading into 2022.
Now that Mims has requested a trade, we’ll see how the Jets progress from here. Historically speaking Douglas has done very well with his returns on investment via trades.
However, Mims’ value can’t be very high after a lackluster second season and now a public trade spat with the Jets.
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Disgruntled Jets Pass Catcher Requests Trade: ‘It’s Just Time’