Once-promising Jets wide receiver Denzel Mims sounded off on his coaches after requesting a trade, saying they haven’t given him the opportunity to shine throughout his 2 years with Gang Green.
“I feel like they have made their mind up, honestly,” Mims said. “But I feel like I can change their mind on that. I feel like I’ve been doing that.”
“Their minds are pretty made up, though.”
Mims requested a trade last week, when his agent said he “does not have a future with the Jets.”
“Denzel has tried in good faith but it is clear he does not have a future with the Jets,” said Mims’ agent, Ron Slavin, in a statement. “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 with the starting offense to get into a groove with them.”
The 24-year-old was a standout pass catcher in college football at Baylor, but has failed to make his mark in the NFL since being drafted by New York in the second round in 2020.
New York’s front office has since invested heavily in other wide receivers since bringing Mims onto the roster — first selected Elijah Moore in the second round of the 2021 Draft, and then picking Garrett Wilson with the 10th overall pick in 2022.
Mims has been targeted on 67 passes in his professional time, and caught only 31 of those passes (46.3%) for 490 total yards. He has yet to record a touchdown.
His numbers also declined in his second season last year, and continued to fail to carve out a role for himself in the wide receiving core.
For more coverage of Denzel Mims and the Jets, head to amNY.com.
He promised to improve his game over the offseason, which he believes he has done, but his time during training camp failed to give him confidence that he would see a larger role this year — as he was given few opportunities to play alongside the team’s starters, and was relegated to the bench for long stretches of time.
“That’s tough, not being out there with the 1s and being able to show it,” he said. “I feel like I deserve to be with the 1s.”
The Jets have listened to trade offers for Mims, according to ESPN, who reported that general manager Joe Douglas declined those advances because they weren’t “the right value for a player of his talent and ability.”
Mims will “likely” be inactive for the team’s Week 1 game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 11.
