Jaguars are giving former NY Jets draft bust a chance for a fresh start

When the New York Jets drafted Denzel Mims in the second round of the 2020 draft, they thought they were getting a playmaker. Instead, they got a player who hardly did anything of note during his three-year stint in the Big Apple. Things weren't much different with the Detroit Lions and the Pittsburgh Steelers but the Jacksonville Jaguars want to see what the former Baylor Bear brings to the table.

The Jags are signing Mims, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. They needed depth at receiver after David White Jr. and Wayne Ruby suffered season-ending injuries in the offseason. Jacksonville had seemingly shown interest in kicking the tires on UFL star Hakeem Butler but they instead went with the former Jet.

A second-round selection in 2020, Mims appeared in 30 games with 15 starts for New York and hauled in 42 receptions for 676 yards with no touchdowns. He was traded to the Lions last year but was eventually waived. The Texas native was eventually claimed by the Steelers but didn't play a single snap in 2023.

Pittsburgh signed Mims to a future contract early in 2024 but it looks like they weren't overly impressed with him and released him.

Even though Mims has the physical tools to play receiver in the NFL, he hasn't been able to hit his stride for several reasons. In New York, he dealt with a hamstring injury in his rookie season that hindered his progress. A new coaching staff taking over the Jets in 2021 didn't help his case. To make matters worse, he missed a good portion of the offseason with a severe case of food poisoning. By Year 3, he had fallen out of favor.

During his short stint with the Lions, Mims got hurt and later failed to make an impression in Pittsburgh. He'll now get a chance with the Jaguars but it's fair to say that barring something spectacular, his odds of sticking around are rather bleak.

The Jaguars want to see what Denzel Mims can do in training camp

The Jaguars have earmarked five roster spots at wide receiver. Gabe Davis, Christian Kirk, Brian Thomas Jr., Devin Duvernay, and Parker Washington are locks to make the team. That's a pretty good group. On the other hand, the rest of the depth chart is a bit suspect.

Tim Jones, undrafted rookie Joshua Cephus, and sophomore Elijah Cooks are in-house options for the No. 6 job. Mims could compete with them for the last spot, but as noted before, he would be a long shot. After all, it's true that he's dealt with adversity throughout his career, but at some point, you cannot keep blaming outside factors for your success or lack thereof in the NFL.

Having said that, this is a low-risk move for the Jaguars. At best, they can add depth to the wide receiver corps at a bargain rate. At worst, they can simply release Mims without any consequences.

In Mims' case, he was dealt a bad hand but also had chances at three different stops. He hasn't been able to take advantage of them. Maybe he'll buck the trend with the Jaguars, but nobody will bat an eye if he once again falls flat.

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