NY Jets WR Denzel Mims is in 'phenomenal shape' for minicamp

Few NY Jets players (if any) had more disastrous 2021 seasons than wide receiver Denzel Mims. Despite a promising rookie season, Mims quickly fell out of favor with the new coaching staff and found himself sliding down the depth chart.

Despite playing over 25 percent of his team's snaps, Mims finished with just eight catches for 133 yards in 11 games. It's hard to have imagined his sophomore NFL season going any worse.

However, the former Baylor star has been putting in the work this offseason and is reportedly in "phenomenal shape" heading into minicamp and OTAs, per Jordan Schultz.

This isn't the first we've heard about Mims' impressive offseason either. Reports have been circulating that detail the efforts Mims has gone to over the offseason to ensure he bounces back from his disappointing campaign.

NY Jets wide receiver Denzel Mims is hoping to return with a vengeance in 2022

Mims' struggles last season have been well documented to this point. Most assumed that the 2020 second-round pick would be in-line for a starting job and a featured role in the Jets' offense heading into the season.

Unfortunately, it quickly became apparent that wouldn't be the case once he found himself in the proverbial doghouse in the spring and summer. It was so bad that he was made a healthy scratch earlier in the season.

That likely would have continued to be the case had injuries not plagued the Jets' wide receiver corps. Mims would receive a sharp increase in playing time late in the season, but it didn't result in an uptick in production.

Mims was about as bad as could be last season. He wasn't just an afterthought, he was a liability.

Evidently, some still have hope that Mims could live up to the potential he showed at Baylor and as a rookie this season, but nothing is guaranteed this time around. Not even a roster spot.

Perhaps these reports are just the Jets trying to drum up interest for their forgotten young wideout as they explore potential trade avenues. Or perhaps Mims is legitimately in the best shape of his life.

He'll have every reason to be motivated to not only prove his critics wrong, but to secure a place on the Jets roster. Mims will likely be given that opportunity this summer, assuming he isn't traded first.