After residing on the trade block for multiple seasons, Denzel Mims eventually made his way to Pittsburgh after his initial 2023 relocation — from New York to Detroit — did not pan out. The Steelers are now moving on from the former second-round pick.
Adding Mims to their practice squad in early October, the Steelers rostered the 2020 draftee for the season’s remainder and gave him a reserve/futures deal in January. Eight-plus months after Mims’ Pennsylvania arrival, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo notes the Steelers are moving on. The team will waive the fifth-year veteran Tuesday.
The Steelers had given Mims another developmental opportunity of sorts, not elevating him from their P-squad for any games last season. Mims then received a mid-January invitation to stick around for the 2024 offseason. While the Steelers have some major questions at wide receiver beyond George Pickens, they appear to have determined Mims will not be part of the post-Diontae Johnson solution.
In addition to the Johnson trade, the Steelers released the underperforming Allen Robinson earlier this offseason. The team did not add a surefire starter in free agency, with Quez Watkins and Van Jefferson coming closest to matching that description, but did use a third-round pick on Washington’s Roman Wilson. The Steelers’ extensive track record for developing Day 2 wide receiver draftees speaks for itself, but if Wilson is not ready to go early, the team has some questions alongside Pickens.
Mims, 26, was unlikely to be a major factor in Pittsburgh’s effort to assemble a new batch of Pickens complements. He could not land a regular role with the Jets and continued to wind up in trade rumors. Mims did amass 357 receiving yards as a rookie, but his 2021 and ’22 seasons did not combine to match that total. After the Jets dealt the Baylor product to the Lions in a pick-swap deal involving 2025 sixth- and seventh-rounders, the sixth the Jets were to receive did not end up conveying due to Mims failing to make Detroit’s active roster. The Lions reached an injury settlement with Mims after placing him on IR in August, paving his way to Pittsburgh.
Two of the Steelers’ WR candidates — Jefferson and Scotty Miller — followed new OC Arthur Smith from Atlanta, while Mims arrived during Matt Canada‘s final days with the club. The Steelers gave Mims the futures deal before hiring Smith. Mims is obviously running out of chances, though it would not be shocking if the 6-foot-3 target secured a chance with another team before or during training camp.
So much for the many (including me) who thought he might run into a diamond in the rough…
That’s why TheUFL is awesome.
Gives guys an opportunity to put on real game tape after being cut
I see the same people talking down on TheUFL that Flock to every mildy-notable cut/transaction, at this point in the offseason.
TheUFL is its own second draft class of bounce-backs, D2s & especially special teamers.
Brandon Aubrey was a pro bowler last year, and now if Jake Bates can live up to the enormous potential in Detroit, then 2 of the best NFL kickers will have come from UFL
There’s a ton of UFL WRs this year who are gonna get camp looks.
LA Rams will sign Kai Nakua, who was easily one of the best safeties & players overall this spring .
Also be interesting to see how much of an impact DPOY Breeland Speaks
And the QB whom Tom Brady handed the pre-determined UBowl MVP award to , former Rivals top prospect Andrian Martinez, will be interesting to watch as he can do a lot with his legs , and has been compared to Colin Kaepernick
Well Shazam! If the UFL got an endorsement from Tom Brady…it must be awesome 🙂
You think these leagues are interesting for someone like Kurt Warner who was also at the game.
The former arena league qb, Kurt Warner
Best part of UFL is its not Arena. It’s played on pro football fields and stadiums.
..and Ya Tom Brady loves UFL , he might buy the Michigan Panthers when the teams get franchised
So he’s a crybaby who has 1 good season and pisses and moans about his mother and father and how they didn’t love him enough?
It sounds like PIT needs to go after Aiyuk if they can get him. It could cost a 1st rounder but I think PIT would be thrilled to draft a Brandon Aiyuk in the middle of the 1st round next year. Difference is the money of course but at least they know who they are getting rather then rolling a dice on a rookie next year.
Obviously there reasons not to do it but sometimes a team needs to do something to give their team a boost at offense.
I am all for trading for Aiyuk… if it can be done without costing a first-round pick. Please understand that I do really really want Aiyuk to be a Steeler… but at their price, not San Fran’s.
If it can’t be done, then I say set their sights slightly lower.. Courtland Sutton? Amari Cooper (which would never happen, but someone like him)?
I don’t think it has to be a 1st rounder, it could be a 2nd in 2025 and a 2nd in 2026. There are options, it just depends if SF is willing to come down from the price. If SF isn’t wanting to pay him then they could let him go for a little less.
Ever sense SF drafted WR Ricky Pearsall at the end of the 1st round I have been waiting for Aiyuk to be dealt. And really once they doubled down by drafting WR Jacob Cowing in the 4th I had no doubt they were moving on. Teams just cannot pay everyone. Especially a team with as many stars as SF rosters.
A lot of people point to how trading for Minkahbin a similar deal essentially led to the Steelers *not* getting a QB like Herbert. But even still,,the guy has played well on defense and simply needs some help around him
That said, Aiyuk is a top receiver. You’ve rebuilt the O-line, which to my mind was this team’s greatest need. This guy is a game changer along with Pickens. If im Khan, I pay the price even if it’s a 1st rounder
Uh….Minkah. Sorry
Steelers Commanders & Patriots all need to make phone calls to get Aiyuk
I like Aiyuk a lot but I don’t see them paying him his new salary demands or the kings ransom to get him . I think San Fransisco finds a way to keep him.
Yeah, agreed. It’s hard to imagine the Steelers giving such a contract to him when they have done so well in drafting and developing receivers over the years. But they keep pumping the “win now” mantra so who knows? Would love to see the guy here but I’m not getting my hopes up
Oh Mims. He looked great at the senior bowl and he had great size and speed, but he never got all that much separation, never ran a full route tree, never had great hands, and never played special teams. He needed some attribute to click at a high level in the NFL or he needed to develop role player skills, and neither happened.
I still wonder if Aiyuk is as good without playing in the SF system. It seems SF maybe thinks the same.
Now, the idea of DK Metcalf lining up on the other side of the field from Pickens is very intriguing, OTOH. We know he can succeed with mediocre QB play.
Agreed, 66. To me, he’d be the optimum and would make that offense lethal. The perfect Steelers type of receiver
But I haven’t heard him mentioned.
Dude is the saddest journeyman I’ve seen to date