Getty Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields walking off of the football field.
The New York Jets have key depth at multiple positions on their roster.
That is going to lead to some tough roster cuts and some interesting decisions for general manager Joe Douglas. One creative way he could maximize his surplus is through the trade market.
That very avenue fed a proposed deal over the weekend that could make a lot of sense for both sides.
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A New Opportunity
NFL analyst Will Parkinson wrote a final 53-man roster prediction ahead of training camp. In his column for the Badlands Patreon page, he predicted that the Jets would trade away wide receiver Denzel Mims.
After checking out his article I reached out for some exclusive details behind this prediction and where the talented playmaker could land:
“Mims will be showcased a ton during the preseason and will likely net you back something in the fourth through sixth range in the 2023 NFL draft. Teams that would be interested in a deal would lean on their predraft grades. The Chicago Bears could use another wide receiver and if he plays well [in the preseason] could get you back multiple day three selections.”
The Bears have been criticized throughout the 2022 offseason for not doing enough for their former first-round quarterback Justin Fields. While the Jets have gone out of their way to surround Zach Wilson with talent it seems like Chicago has done the opposite.
Mims is still only 24 years of age and has two cheap years left on his rookie contract. Another team is going to be willing to take a chance on him and the Bears provide the perfect situation for him to flourish.
This would be a low-risk dart throw that could pay major dividends. If Mims can find those same flashes that got everyone so excited as a rookie he could become a top-flight weapon for Fields in the windy city.
Multiple Insiders Predicting Trade
Parkinson isn’t the only one predicting that a trade eventually happens for the former Baylor product this offseason.
Rich Cimini of ESPN doubled down on that in his training camp preview article:
“Receiver Denzel Mims will be traded before the regular season. Despite an encouraging offseason, the 2020 second-round pick is no better than fourth on the depth chart among outside receivers. Because he doesn’t play special teams, Mims doesn’t have game-day value unless he’s part of the receiver rotation. Right now, he’s not. He’d probably be the odd man out on game day, barring injuries. So the question becomes: Do the Jets stash him on the roster as insurance, which wouldn’t make him happy, or do they try to get something in a trade? They probably wouldn’t get much; the Patriots got a 2024 seventh-round pick for 2019 first rounder N’Keal Harry. Mims would bring back more than that because he has two years left on his rookie contract, but probably not much more. The Jets will talk him up this summer, hoping to raise his value.”
#Jets WR Denzel Mims (@Zel5Zelly) has been working with one of the best wide receiver coaches on the planet this offseason: David Robinson (@drobalwayzopen) #TakeFlight #NFL 🎥 krystalk_photos on IG @BUFootball
Connor Hughes of The Athletic said something similar on the Can’t-Wait Podcast when asked about Mims’ future:
“I find it hard to foresee a situation where Mims is on the team Week 1.”
.@Connor_J_Hughes finds it hard to foresee a situation where #Jets WR Denzel Mims ‘is on this team Week 1’ + CH said it wasn’t a dig but more so a reality check when you evaluate the roster + ‘a good #JetsCamp could net a 4th or 5th rounder’: 🎥 Can’t Wait Pod #TakeFlight
He explained that wasn’t necessarily a dig at the third-year wideout, but rather a reality check. With him batting fourth in the lineup at outside wide receiver, Hughes said the best-case scenario features him playing like five snaps a game in situational football.
That wouldn’t be good for Mims, the Jets, or his representation. So instead they can flip him to a team that could actually use him and they’d be able to keep a player they like a lot in Jeff Smith.
The former college quarterback is an excellent special teams player and is intimately familiar with the playbook.
Hughes says if Mims has a really good preseason he could net back a fourth or fifth-round draft choice from an NFL franchise this offseason.
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Jets Deliver Top Weapon for Justin Fields in Proposed Trade