Do it makes sense for Bears to go after Denzel Mims? |
We are officially less than 10 days away from NFL training camp, which means the official start of a brand new NFL season for some of those. With that comes a camp filled with arguably the most excitement fans have seen from the Bears in a long time, as this team is eager and ready to get back on the field.
After going through the worst season in franchise history a year ago to earn the No. 1 pick, you knew changes would be on the horizon. The first of those changes was trading away the No. 1 pick where they added a legitimate No. 1 WR in DJ Moore from Carolina. Then it became the mass spending in free agency as the Bears had more money than anyone and didn't hesitate to use it. Even after all of their moves, this team still has more than 30 million to play with, which is plenty to add more pieces. What those pieces are is a different story, but anyway you slice it, the Bears are in a position to add more talent to an already vastly improved roster. Should Chicago look to do that, they will likely target the defensive side, especially the pass-rushing ability, but you could look for them to give Justin Fields more help on offense. With Moore, Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool, and Cole Kmet expected to be the lead WRs this year, Fields has plenty of weapons at his disposal, but there is always room to add one more. According to recent reports, the New York Jets plan to release former second-rounder Denzel Mims, making him a free agent. This is a name that was linked to the Bears the past two offseasons, and now you could see it come full circle before too long. Known for his blazing speed, Mims was one of the biggest X-Factors in his draft class and came with an incredibly high ceiling. For whatever reason, things didn't work out for him in New York. Getting a player like Mims isn't going to make you a Super Bowl contender, but it does add another weapon in the passing game to help Fields. A change of scenery may be what Mims needs because the size and overall skillset are there for him to be something decent. This isn't the first time Mims and the Jets have been on rough seas, as it has been going on for two years. There were reports last offseason that Mims requested a trade, but the Jets never found a trade partner. After drafting Garrett Wilson last year and adding guys like Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb this year, Mims becomes an expendable piece, and one the Jets can now afford to move on from should they choose to do so. If Mims is released by the end of Wednesday, he could find himself with a new team by Thursday. Although nothing is official, it does look like that is the outcome, and if that is the case, Mims will be considered a bust at this point in his career. During his time in New York, Mims played in 30 games with 42 receptions for 676 yards and no touchdowns. The yards are something they can live with, but the lack of touchdowns was a significant issue, especially for someone drafted No. 59 overall. Some may wonder what the Jets saw in Mims to make the pick. Well, for starters, he was coming off an impressive final year with Baylor that saw him earn top 3 WR consideration entering the draft. Mims also ran a blazing 4.38 at the combine, which you can't teach, and his 6-3 size gave him the rare speed and size combo that coaches drool over. Should the Bears ultimately show interest in him or even make a move for him, no one expects a lot out of him, and why would they? However, this will allow him to clear his head and get the fresh start he requested. I could see him giving the Bears 500-600 yards receiving and a few scores, which you will take from a No. 3 or No. 4 WR option.
