Wide receiver the Cowboys nearly traded for is now available for nothing

We have reached the dog days of the offseason now that the Dallas Cowboys have wrapped up mandatory minicamp. The team won't meet again until training camp in the third week of July, but summer break hasn't stopped the front office from adding to the roster.

Just this week the Cowboys have signed linebacker Willie Harvey Jr. and cornerback Gareon Conley of the UFL. Harvey led the UFL in tackles while Conley is a former first-round pick of the Raiders in 2017.

While intriguing pickups that will add more competition in camp, Harvey and Conley don't do much to move the needle. In a best-case scenario, they perform well enough to potentially make the 53-man roster or they get signed to the practice squad.

The Cowboys' roster still needs major help at defensive tackle and running back, but their next addition could come at wide receiver after former trade target Denzel Mims was waived by the Steelers this week.

Former Cowboys trade target Denzel Mims is now available for nothing

UPDATE: Denzel Mims has signed with the Jaguars, per Adam Schefter.

Mims signed to the Steelers' practice squad in October but he never appeared in a regular-season game. A former second-round pick by the Jets in 2020, Mims was a highly sought-after prospect in his class. At 6-3 and 207 pounds with elite athleticism (he posted a 9.76 relative athletic score) and excellent body control, Mims had the full package.

For whatever reason, Mims hasn't been able to figure it out in the NFL. In four seasons (30 games, 15 starts), he's caught 42 passes for 672 yards and has yet to find the end zone. He's made highlight-reel plays in training camp and has dominated some preseason games, but he has just one regular-season game with more than 70 receiving yards since Week 10 of his rookie year in 2020.

It's well known that the Cowboys love a reclamation project and their past interest in Mims makes for a potential marriage.

Mims requested a trade before the 2022 season and NFL insider Josina Anderson reported the Cowboys and Jets discussed a potential deal. However, talks never advanced beyond the "exploratory" stage, likely because Mims was expected to get released.

It's worth noting, too, that Dallas flirted with Mims before the 2020 draft. The Dangerfield, TX native was one of a select few WRs that interviewed virtually with the team. Mims was taken eight picks after Trevon Diggs, so the Cowboys clearly made the right call.

Mike McCarthy has plenty of wide receivers to assess in training camp, but taking a flier on Mims couldn't hurt. The third, fourth and fifth spots on the depth chart are wide open and there's always room on the practice squad for players with raw talent.

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