In a new-look AFC East, headlined by four quarterbacks no older than 25 years of age, building chemistry with young wide receivers is of the utmost importance.
In New York, there’s no shortage of young talent at the receiver position. Rookie signal-caller Zach Wilson has already built a connection with his No. 1 target in Corey Davis, who caught five balls for 97 yards and two touchdowns in their Week 1 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Wilson has also shown a rapport with Braxton Berrios, and it’s just a matter of time before rookie second-round pick Elijah Moore finds himself in the mix.
However, the real story here lies with a Jets pass-catcher that isn’t being utilized. Sophomore receiver Denzel Mims didn’t hit the field for Sunday’s regular-season opener until the final drive of the game. Mims caught his lone target for a 40-yard gain, but his lack of usage speaks volumes of how the Jets currently feel about him.
Entertaining a trade for Mims doesn’t appear to be out of the realm of possibility. Here are three teams that could be the first to inquire about Mims’ availability.
DENVER BRONCOS
A unit that will need to score points in order to keep up with the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC West, the Broncos’ depth at the position will come into question over the next few weeks after losing sophomore receiver Jerry Jeudy for the foreseeable future.
The Broncos have three capable and healthy receivers in Tim Patrick, Courtland Sutton, and K.J. Hamler, but they now lack great depth behind their starters.
Mims could also be viewed as insurance down the road. With both Sutton and Patrick playing on contract years and due for pay raises in 2022, it’s extremely unlikely that both players will be back in Denver next season. With Mims on an affordable rookie deal until the conclusion of 2023, the Broncos would be wise to look into trading for Mims in an attempt to prepare for the future.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
The Saints should be looking for more receiver help. They looked excellent in their 38-3 Week 1 win over the Green Bay Packers, but starting quarterback Jameis Winston only completed a total of four passes to a trio of wide receivers (Deonte Harris, Marquez Callaway, and Chris Hogan).
We know the tight ends and running backs are going to play a huge role in New Orleans’ passing game, but they’re going to need more production from their pure pass-catchers if they hope to contend for a Super Bowl in 2021.
A trade to the Saints shouldn’t be ruled out as the front office has kicked the tires on upgrading their talent at the position by recently signing veteran receiver Kenny Stills to their practice squad. A move for the Jets’ second-year receiver could help produce a more successful season in New Orleans.
DETROIT LIONS
The Lions should be in desperation mode on the outside. With a visit to the Green Bay Packers on the schedule for this Monday and a tough home game against the Baltimore Ravens to follow in Week 3, Detroit needs to come up with a better plan than one that includes more playing time for the likes of Kalif Raymond and Trinity Benson.
While it’s only Week 2, the Lions already had issues at the position before Tyrell Williams suffered a concussion in the Week 1 contest against the San Francisco 49ers.
Rookie receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown showcased his skill set while running 50 routes in his NFL debut, but the need for more help here is quite clear. Lions general manager Brad Holmes should be looking to acquire another young pass-catcher at a discounted rate. Acquiring Mims would make a lot of sense.
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