The Jets are scheduled to open the season in three weeks in Buffalo. The question now is whether they will have the fast receiver they set up that day in the second round on the field.
Denzel Mims remains sidelined with a hamstring injury that cost him the first week of training camp practice and could significantly boost his growth as a rookie. Mims injured the hamstring during the rampage to actual camp practices and has not been on the field for the offensive vs. defensive sessions that began on August 14th.
Coach Adam Gase does not sound scared … yet. He has maintained that he thinks the coaches can get Mims ready soon, but time is ticking away.
“We just have to move it forward quickly and do everything we can, we can get him as ready as possible,” Gase said. ‘We just have to get him ready to go. It’s what it is with training camp, and if you have an injury, we just have less time to do it. ”
Mims’ injury would be a severe blow in a normal year. It is being accentuated by the short training camp this year due to COVID-19. Mims was unable to work with his teammates on the field in the spring, and then took an awkward step while running a trail during a walking practice.
Gase said Mims should first start working with the trainers on the side while exercising, running and doing agility. Then the Jets will start working him into wide receiver bore. Eventually, he will be cleared to start joining the team part of the practice.
But if each of those steps lasts a few days, you’re talking about Mims who are unlikely to make it into the team periods until next weekend. That would leave one week of training camp for him to work out, then the Jets would be in practice game week where the reps slow down.
Mims spends time in practice alongside wide receiver trainer Shawn Jefferson and assistant wide receiver trainer Hines Ward, who both try to help Mims stay mentally sharp, even when he is unable to exercise.
If Mims will return, everyone is advised. Gase has been uneasy about setting a schedule because of how unpredictable hamstring injuries can be. The Jets’ worst fear must be to run too fast and make the injury worse. A hamstring injury is especially troublesome for Mims, as his game is predated on speed.
“Hopefully we can get him back sooner rather than later,” Gase said, “it’s just that I will not place a prediction about a soft tissue injury because it’s all, he runs one day, he goes and cuts and it “I do not feel right and then it could put you back in a few days. I do not want to cry.”
The Jets took Mims with the 59th overall pick from Baylor. He is known for his speed (a 4.37 40-yard line) and making contested catches. He had 66 catches for 1,020 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Bears last season. At 6-foot-3, he is potentially a big red sun goal for Sam Darnold.
“He’s a big boy who can run really fast, who makes unusual catches, has great body control,” Gase said of what the Jets asked about Mims. ‘These are all things you have not seen yet and I have not seen live. The number of plays he made was a ton of. If you have such a man, if a ball is thrown, or it’s behind you is in front of you, and you can kick it in the gears and go get it, or make it catch where your body is in some sort of contorted becomes strange way. Those are things you can not learn. Those are capabilities he has, and I was a big fan of him. I was really excited when we could take him and I’m just waiting for him to come back, get out of there so we can kind of see how far we can take this year. “
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