On the surface, wide receiver Denzel Mims is the ideal specimen for the Kansas City Chiefs. Digging deeper a bit, however, will reveal that the Chiefs are unlikely going to pay any attention to the notion of adding the New York Jets wideout anytime soon.
Why are we even discussing Mims at this time of year? The New York Jets, like every other non-playoff team, are in the midst of full-scale roster evaluations and Denzel Mims is a popular name these days among Gang Green’s fans. Earlier this week, ESPN reporter Rich Cimini noted that the future of Mims was up in the air on the Jets’ roster going forward after he was also rumored to be available at the NFL’s trade deadline in early November.
These days, the Jets are playing without their top three wideouts and yet Mims still can’t get any targets (or even playing time) for a team that’s already going nowhere. Somehow a single season after spending a second-round pick on Mims, a large physical receiver out of Baylor, the team is done seeing if there’s any reachable ceiling here. They’ve already moved on to other prospects.
The New York Jets are likely going to make Denzel Mims available this offseason in one way or another but the KC Chiefs aren’t likely to pay any attention.
That’s a big admission for a team so quickly after drafting a product. It’s not akin to releasing a cornerback only months after drafting him, a la KeiVarae Russell, but it’s not too far off. The GM who made the pick is even still leading the front office, but the coaching staff is over him. Mims is a bust with a sunk cost and the team has moved on.
To that end, it seems likely that any team who liked Mims in the pre-draft process could get him for next to nothing (emphasis on the nothing). Just know it won’t be the Chiefs.
The Chiefs could have a real need here. The Chiefs went fishing for their big X receiver to replace the departed Sammy Watkins last year and came up short in free agency after pursuing the likes of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Josh Reynolds. The Chiefs even signed Josh Gordon at midseason and it still didn’t move the meter for an offense that instead worked around the idea of having a single imposing target command attention opposite Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill.
The Chiefs are likely go to shopping at wide receiver again, but a project will not do any longer. They tried that with wide receiver Cornell Powell in the draft, and they did it again with Gordon. Given that neither worked out, it’s hard to imagine Veach rolling the dice further instead of just making a greater investment to answer the questions.
You might be noting the fact that Mims was an early second-round target for the Jets and that would be true. General manager Brett Veach does enjoy a good reclamation project—from Reggie Ragland to Cam Erving to Mike Hughes to Deandre Baker. That said, the Chiefs apparently never paid any attention to Mims in the first place, despite the fact that many Chiefs fans and analysts actually liked the idea of his addition.
The Chiefs never met in any way with Denzel Mims. Literally the only team that didn't. Either sincerely not interested, or a phenomenal smokescreen.
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) April 25, 2020
While Mims looks the role with his blend of size, speed, and strength, the truth is that his drops would be a major problem for a team that’s been trying to shake such issues all season. His inefficient route-running would only become a greater frustration in the complexity of Andy Reid’s offense, and if the Jets were quick to give up on him when he was all they had, just imagine how short of a leash he’d been given in K.C. when he’s a luxury add.
It’s the time of year when certain names might sound good and there might even be some connections that make sense. But Mims to the Chiefs isn’t a match when it comes down to it and certainly not if it’s going to cost K.C. anything to get him in the first place. Some team will take that chance, but expect Veach and company to look elsewhere.