The Pittsburgh Steelers signed former second-round pick wide receiver Denzel Mims to their practice squad during the 2023 season. Later, on January 17, 2024, they signed Mims to a reserve/futures contract. The team had been trying to get Mims since July of 2023.
NFL.com
Former New York Jets wide receiver Denzel Mims running a route.
The Steelers' wide receiver room has been a major subject of discussion all offseason, with many pundits believing the team is in need of help at the position. On Tuesday, it was reported by Mike Garafolo that the Steelers would be waiving Mims.
The #Steelers are waiving WR Denzel Mims, source says. Former #Jets second-round pick had been with Pittsburgh since last October on the practice squad. pic.twitter.com/zEhpudGud9
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) June 18, 2024
Mims entered the NFL with considerable hype, having been a dominant wide receiver at Baylor.
Denzel Mims was a freak at Baylor 👁🗨pic.twitter.com/2zZMmtQZ69
— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) April 5, 2021
The New York Jets drafted him with hopes of him becoming a standout player. Mims struggled to get going in New York and never really did much to impress the organization in his three seasons with the team.
Taylor Ollason / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Denzel Mims catches a ball during OTAs.
Unfortunately, a hamstring injury during training camp in his rookie season hampered his progress. In August 2022, Mims requested a trade, citing that the Jets were not giving him a fair chance in the offense. For a second round pick, the Jets did not do much to help Mims reach his full potential.
Before joining the Steelers' practice squad, Mims was traded to the Detroit Lions but was waived just a month later. Struggling to secure a spot on an NFL roster, Mims hoped to regain momentum in his career with Pittsburgh.
However, despite the Steelers having depth at the wide receiver position, the room lacks standout talent beyond George Pickens. The Steelers did have a solid list of several more proven wide receivers in front of Mims. This made it unlikely for Mims to carve out a significant role in the Steelers' offense in 2024. This most likely led to the Steelers choice to release Mims from the team.
Steelers Will Not Be Missing Out On Much
Over three seasons, Mims recorded just 42 catches for 676 receiving yards and no touchdowns, starting 15 games during his time with the Jets. He has not appeared in an NFL game since the 2022 season. While Mims clearly had the talent to be drafted in the second round, he is far from the player scouted in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Doug Murray / AP
Former New York Jets wide receiver Denzel Mims walks on the field before an away game.
The Steelers likely brought him in as a safety net. However, with the additions of several depth pieces like Quez Watkins, Van Jefferson, Scotty Miller, and the drafting of Roman Wilson, it became evident that Mims would have limited opportunities to impact the team.
#Jets Denzel Mims szn?pic.twitter.com/9DFWDqkjRl
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) November 1, 2020
It is no doubt that Mims is a talented athlete and a good wide receiver. He showed glimpses of his potential in his three seasons with the Jets. However, NFL organizations are smart. They have more knowledge on Mims and have given up on him for a reason. Mims continues to face a challenging path to making a significant impact on an NFL offense.
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