The Lions will kick the tires on Denzel Mims, and I like the move. Maybe he fits better there than he did with the Jets.
Per reports, Detroit is giving up a sixth-round pick, and that looks like a reasonable investment, considering Mims was the 59th pick of the 2020 draft.
He certainly looked like a solid enough prospect coming into the league. At the combine, he measured 6-foot-3 and 207 pounds, with excellent measurables, including a 4.38 in the 40, a 10-foot-11 broad jump and a 38.5 vertical. Physically, he looks similar to Quentin Johnston (who just got selected in the first round), but with better college production – including twice as many touchdowns.
Mims hasn’t done much in three years, but some of the blame can be attributed to being stuck in a dysfunctional situation. In 30 games with the Jets, he caught 42 passes, with 6 drops and no touchdowns. They used him primarily as a deep threat (with Mims averaging at least 15.5 yards per catch every year).
The Lions have a need at wide receiver, especially in the first six weeks (with Jamison Williams suspended). They’ve got Amon-Ra St. Brown, who piles up catches, but until Williams returns, they’ll be trying to find some production from a receiver group including Josh Reynolds, Kalif Raymond and 33-year-old Marvin Jones. Some chance, I think, that Mims could leapfrog some of those guys on the depth chart.
But what Mims is attempting doesn’t happen often. In the 32-team era, only six receivers have failed to have a top-60 season (PPR scoring) with their initial team, then become a top-40 receiver in their first season somewhere else. Seven others have ranked in the top 40 after not having a top-40 season with their first team (tagged with black dots).
I do not see Mims as draftable right now, but we’ll check him out in the practice games.
| BOUNCING BACK FROM SLOW STARTS | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Rec | Yds | TD | PPR | Rk | Prev Year | Team | Best |
| 2003 | • Bobby Shaw, Buff. | 56 | 732 | 4 | 153.2 | 39 | 44-525-2 | Jac. | 52 |
| 2005 | • Joe Jurevicius, Sea. | 55 | 694 | 10 | 184.4 | 29 | 27-333-2 | T.B. | 47 |
| 2006 | Mike Furrey, Det. | 98 | 1086 | 6 | 242.6 | 13 | 0-0-0 | St.L. | 104 |
| 2006 | Reche Caldwell, N.E. | 61 | 760 | 4 | 163.5 | 34 | 28-352-1 | S.D. | 87 |
| 2007 | Shaun McDonald, Det. | 79 | 943 | 6 | 209.5 | 21 | 13-136-1 | St.L. | 61 |
| 2007 | • Wes Welker, N.E. | 112 | 1175 | 8 | 280.9 | 10 | 67-687-1 | Mia. | 42 |
| 2011 | Laurent Robinson, Dall. | 54 | 858 | 11 | 205.8 | 20 | 34-344-2 | St.L. | 78 |
| 2014 | • Brandon LaFell, N.E. | 74 | 953 | 7 | 212.6 | 22 | 49-627-5 | Car. | 50 |
| 2016 | • Rishard Matthews, Ten. | 65 | 945 | 9 | 213.5 | 21 | 43-662-4 | Mia. | 52 |
| 2017 | Marquise Goodwin, S.F. | 56 | 962 | 2 | 168.6 | 31 | 29-431-3 | Buff. | 85 |
| 2017 | • Jermaine Kearse, NYJ | 65 | 810 | 5 | 176.0 | 28 | 41-510-1 | Sea. | 48 |
| 2017 | • Robert Woods, LAR | 56 | 781 | 5 | 165.3 | 33 | 51-613-1 | Buff. | 45 |
| 2021 | Kendrick Bourne, N.E. | 55 | 800 | 5 | 182.8 | 32 | 49-667-2 | S.F. | 61 |
| 2023 | Denzel Mims, Det. | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | 11-186-0 | NYJ | 107 |
—Ian Allan