Should the Cowboys pursue a Denzel Mims trade with the Jets?
The Dallas Cowboys are putting quarterback Dak Prescott in a tough predicament. While it is true that some young wide receivers like Simi Fehoko, Dennis Houston, and Brandon Smith have surprisingly stepped up during preseason practices and games, the reality is that CeeDee Lamb will be the only wide receiver available for Week 1 that’s caught a touchdown in the NFL. Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson are gone and James Washington and Michael Gallup will be out with injury.
That means inexperienced players will automatically get starting jobs in Week 1. When most NFL teams lose pieces of their roster, they hit the phones and see if they can make trades or pick up available players. That hasn’t been the Cowboys’ plan this offseason. Maybe it’s because Jerry Jones hates to be wrong, but the Cowboys owner continues to say the answers for several positional gaps will be solved in-house.
But could they be swayed another way by a receiver looking for a trade? New York Jets wide receiver Denzel Mims recently requested a trade from the team since the Jets refuse to release him.
The former second-round pick from the 2020 NFL Draft hasn’t done anything breathtaking in the NFL so far. In his first NFL season in New York, he played nine games (was out a bit with a hamstring injury) and had 23 receptions for 357 yards. Last season, he participated in 11 games and had 133 receiving yards. He didn’t score a touchdown in either season.
However, after the 24-year-old’s agent, Ron Slavin, submitted the trade request to the Jets, the Baylor product had one of his best performances in the final preseason game over the weekend. He caught seven of eight passes for 102 yards and got his first NFL touchdown. Mims was involved throughout and proved he deserves a spot on an NFL roster.
Could that roster spot be with the Cowboys?
Denzel Mims spoke for first time since trade request. Referred to his agent a lot. Didn’t sound like he had any animosity toward #Jets. Trade request sounds very much like he just wants to go where he can play offense, although when asked that directly he said to ask his agent
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) August 28, 2022
Should the Cowboys pursue New York Jets WR Denzel Mims after he requested a trade?
The request for a trade doesn’t seem to be an issue with the Jets. Rather the stereotypical “needed change of scenery. Here’s what Mims’ agent said about the trade request:
"“It’s just time. Denzel tried in good faith but it’s clear he does not have a future with the Jets,” Slavin said in a statement Thursday, per NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo. “Denzel vowed to come back better than ever this season and worked extremely hard in the offseason to make that happen. Still, he has been given no opportunities with the starting offense to get in a groove with them.We feel at this point a trade is our only option, since the Jets have told us repeatedly they will not release him. Joe Douglas has always done right by Denzel and we trust he will do everything in his power to find another team where Denzel can be a contributor.” -Ron Slavin, Mims’ agent"
Will the Cowboys actually look outside their roster? That’s hard to say. But there is something to be said for making a trade to take a chance on a guy that’s good in contested coverage and could be a veteran target for Prescott.
But that also requires the Jets to allow for the trade.
Six targets. Six catches. One TD.
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) August 28, 2022
Denzel Mims comes down with the score 🙌pic.twitter.com/gqO7bnMOh7
After the receiver’s great performance, Jets head coach Robert Saleh said that if it were up to him, Mims would remain on the team. However, the 6-3 receiver currently sits behind Elijah Moore, Corey Davis, Braxton Berrios, and rookie Garrett Wilson. Because of that, his probability to start and truly contribute are low — hence the trade desire.
If the Cowboys front office is willing to look outside of the locker room, the Jets’ Texas native could easily compete for a starting spot amongst the young players who will be thrown into the fire in Week 1.
Mims is clearly hungry for a new opportunity. However, if Stephen and Jerry Jones won’t even look externally to sign a replacement for LT Tyron Smith, the odds are pretty darn low for them to truly pursue Mims.
Is this a move the Cowboys should make, and will they even consider it? Let us know.
