Denzel Mims 'faces an uphill climb' to make NY Jets roster

It's been a rollercoaster of a three years for Denzel Mims with the NY Jets. The former second-round pick looked like a potential building block following a promising rookie season, only to see his stock plummet to the point that he's legitimately on the roster bubble entering this summer.

In fact, he's not just on the bubble — he might be on the outside looking in.

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt reported on Tuesday that Mims "faces an uphill climb to making the team" this summer. There's a very decent chance that Mims does not make the Jets' 53-man roster.

The Baylor product was not in attendance for the majority of Jets OTAs for unknown reasons. In his absence, Mims saw a number of young wide receivers on the Jets roster make notable waves.

Players like Jason Brownlee, Xavier Gipson, Irvin Charles, and Jerome Kapp all stood out this spring, with the former three all receiving shoutouts from Aaron Rodgers. Mims, meanwhile, was nowhere to be found.

Denzel Mims might not make the NY Jets roster this summer

Mims' struggles really date back to his first offseason with the current regime. The Texas native quickly fell out of favor with the Jets' new coaching staff, going from presumed WR2 to a healthy scratch by the beginning of the season.

Mims officially requested a trade from the Jets last summer after his standing with the team hadn't improved, and despite receiving some offers, the Jets never fulfilled his request.

Instead, Mims stuck it out through the 2022 season, hauling in just 11 catches for 186 yards in 10 games. Perhaps there's still some untapped potential left with Mims, but given that he's entering the final year of his rookie contract, time is running out for him to make an impression.

Mims enters the summer as the sixth wide receiver on the Jets' depth chart behind the likes of Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman, Corey Davis, and Randall Cobb. Barring injury, his only chance of making the roster is if the Jets carry six wide receivers.

Even if that happens, however, there's no guarantee he ends the summer as WR6. Brownlee is probably his biggest competition. The former SMU standout was given the fourth-most guaranteed money of any undrafted player this spring.

Brownlee has a similar skill set and physical pedigree to Mims and is cheaper with more team control. If he carries over momentum from a strong spring into the summer, it's very easy to see him usurping Mims on the depth chart.

Denzel Mims is fighting for his Jets future this summer, and he might already be the underdog in that fight.