The Debut of Denzel Mims is a Big Potential Boost for the Struggling New York Jets Offense
The expected debut of wide receiver Denzel Mims this weekend is a point of expectation for New York Jets head coach Adam Gase, who is excited to get the rookie on the field. Finally.
Mims, injured twice in training camp, has yet to see the field for the Jets. The second round pick in this apst spring’s NFL Draft, Mims is a potential playmaker in a Jets offense that has been dour so far.
Able to practice for the first time the season has started, Mims is trending positively towards making his NFL debut this weekend against the Buffalo Bills.
“He’s got incredible length, range, he can go up and get the ball, speed. He has all those traits that you’re looking for in a guy that can be a really good receiver,” Gase said on Thursday in his virtual press conference. “It’s just keep teaching him technique, scheme, coverages, all those little details that he might not have seen a lot of in college.”
Last year as a senior at Baylor, Mims had 66 catches for 1,020 receiving yards with 12 touchdowns.
He represented a bit of a coup for the Jets, who traded back from their original pick at No. 48, moving back 11 spaces and still managing to land one of the draft’s top wide receivers. The Jets have struggled offensively, with just 13 first downs and 263 yards of offense in Week 6. The return of Mims can potentially help the 0-6 team balance the offense and move the ball.
Mims suffered his first hamstring injury at the start of training camp and his second hamstring injury (to the other leg) right before the Jets season opener at Bills. It’s been a frustrating start to his rookie career.
“Anytime you can get a guy that we were kind of looking at as somebody that was going to be your starting receiver, to get him back in practice, I keep trying to remind myself, today will be his fifth day of actual team practice in the NFL,” Gase said. “I’ve had conversations with him, ‘Hey, there’s a lot of things that you haven’t seen. You’re going to be learning a lot quickly.’ So, there’s excitement, whether it’s keep getting him out at practice or on Sundays. Either way, the more he can do the better.”
