A former Jets receiver bust is attempting an NFL comeback.
Denzel Mims, a 2020 second-round pick who struggled to carve out a role in New York, has agreed to terms with the Cowboys after a UFL stint.
“Denzel’s a guy that we think has the speed to play on the outside, [and has] that size, to do things we need to do in the running game,” Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer told reporters Thursday. “I just think he’s a really good fit.”
Through four years (2016-19) at Baylor, Mims blossomed into a go-to contested catch receiver, earning praise for that ability entering the draft process. He tallied 2,925 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns over four seasons with the Bears, helping them to an 11-3 record as a senior.
The Jets drafted Mims in 2020 in hopes he’d be Sam Darnold’s future No. 1 receiver, but he was anything but that. Mims showed promise with 357 receiving yards as a rookie before failing to reach 200 in each of the following two years.
Mims’ Jets tenure was plagued by drops and poor separation, and the team traded him to the Lions in July 2023 for a late-round pick.
The Lions waived Mims a month later, and he spent time on the Steelers and Jaguars practice squads before moving to the UFL.
The 28-year-old has spent the last two seasons in the spring league with the St. Louis BattleHawks and Dallas Renegades.
After veteran Parris Campbell retired this offseason, Schottenheimer said Mims was brought in to bring more speed to the team’s receiver room, one that is somewhat of a question mark outside of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
Ryan Flournoy, Jonathan Mingo and KaVontae Turpin headline the remainder of the unit, and it’s unclear as to how likely Mims is to make the roster.
The Cowboys look to return to the postseason for the first time since 2023 and start their season at the Giants on Sept. 13.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
