Several 2025 NFL draft picks have already been traded before the 2023 NFL season begins
Another trade involving a draft pick that is nearly two years away took place in the NFL this week. The New York Jets and Detroit Lions agreed to a deal that involves not one but two selections in the 2025 NFL draft.
The trade sent 2020 second-round pick Denzel Mims from New York to Detroit. The Jets dealt the disappointing wideout for the very low compensation of a pick swap in the late rounds of 2025. New York will receive a 2025 sixth-round pick from Detroit but only if Mims makes the Lions roster. The Jets sent back a 2025 seventh-rounder that is not conditional.
This deal joins a small but growing list of picks in the 2025 draft that have already been traded. Among the others:
The Panthers’ second-round pick belongs to the Chicago Bears as part of the trade for Carolina to move up to No. 1 overall in 2023 and select QB Bryce Young.
The Eagles’ fourth-rounder which was sent to the Lions as part of the trade for RB D’Andre Swift.
A deal between the Browns and Vikings that sent EDGE Za’Darius Smith to Cleveland. The Browns included a fifth-round pick in 2025 in the deal, while Minnesota sent back a sixth and a seventh in 2025
Trades of far future picks like this didn’t use to happen in the NFL.
Detroit Lions Podcast pre-training camp mailbag answers many questions about the Lions and several specific players
The latest edition of the Detroit Lions Podcast is now available. This one is in mailbag form, with logistical difficulties preventing a live show this week.
In this mailbag, I fielded questions from the podcast’s Patreon Slack chat in advance of training camp. Among them:
What’s happening at off-ball linebacker, what should we be looking for, and who is on the hot seat?
What are potential offensive wrinkles we might see from Ben Johnson?
Breaking down the TE competition entering camp
Will defenses figure out what the Detroit Lions are doing on offense?
Who are the top breakout candidates?
What should fans expect from Levi Onwuzurike?
Could another kicker be on the way?
All that and more get covered.
This was recorded Wednesday morning, before the Denzel Mims trade and the release of kicker Michael Badgley. Both of those topics do come up, and the Badgley take here does not age well. C’est la vie!
It should come to nobody’s surprise that Amon-Ra St. Brown is the top rated receiver for the Detroit Lions in Madden ’24. After a season where he led the Lions with 106 receptions and 1,161 receiving yards, St.Brown earned an 87 overall rating.
For St. Brown, he has the highest catching on the team with a 97 overall rating for that skill. The next best is Kalif Raymond with an 88 overall rating for catching.
As for the fastest player on the team, it shouldn’t be surprising to see Jameson Williams at the top with 98 speed. The next closest to him is Kalif Raymond with 93 speed. Here’s the overall ratings for each wide receiver:
Amon-Ra St. Brown — 87 Overall
Jameson Williams — 79 Overall
Marvin Jones Jr. — 78 Overall
Josh Reynolds — 75 Overall
Kalif Raymond — 75 Overall
Tom Kennedy — 69 Overall
Trinity Benson — 67 Overall
Antoine Green — 66 Overall
Maurice Alexander — 63 Overall
Yesterday, the Lions traded for New York Jets receiver Denzel Mims. He’s rated a 70 overall with 92 speed and 78 catching.
Basing the Lions receiver room off the overall ratings of each player, their depth chart should go as followed: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Marvin Jones Jr., Josh Reynolds, Kalif Raymond and Denzel Mims.
With Jameson Williams being suspended for the first six weeks of the season, we’re unsure if players such as Tom Kennedy or Antoine Green will get a chance to play on the 53-man roster. One thing is for sure, the Lions wide receiver room has more talent now than they’ve ever had.
The Detroit Lions made the move to trade for New York Jets wide receiver Denzel Mims on Wednesday night. The Lions executed a pick swap of late-round draft picks to acquire Mims.
What are the Lions getting in Mims?
Mims, 25, is entering his fourth NFL season. He arrived in New York as a second-round pick, No. 59 overall, in the 2020 NFL draft out of Baylor.
He was selected so highly in large part because of his athletic potential. At a hair under 6-foot-3 and a well-muscled 207 pounds, Mims showed explosive athleticism and downfield playmaking ability for Baylor. He scored 28 receiving touchdowns in his final three college seasons for the Bears, going over the 1,000-yard mark twice (2017 and 2019).
The athletic testing at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine validated the impressive blend of size and speed from his Baylor tape. Mims clocked the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds, with a 38-inch vertical leap, a 3-cone time of 6.66 seconds and a clocked time of 22.4 MPH.
All those physical gifts and impressive production at Baylor have not translated to the NFL, unfortunately. He’s caught just 42 passes in 92 targets for 676 yards in three years with the Jets, and Mims is still looking for his first NFL touchdown. He’s been credited with seven drops, or one for every six catches. The career catch rate of 45.7 is nearly 20 percentage points lower than what Eric Ebron logged (64.6%) in his four seasons with the Lions.
Mims has struggled with the increased precision and timing of playing outside WR in the NFL. His poor initial releases and unwillingness to fight through jams have been notable with the Jets, never really improving despite (or perhaps because of) coaching and quarterback changes.
Last summer, I was asked about Mims in the context of the Cleveland Browns being interested in a trade at that time. The Jets were prepared to move on from Mims last August but wound up keeping him for another ill-fated year.
Nothing we saw from Mims in New York in 2022 changes my opinion expressed here. His lack of attention to detail, “looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane” assessment and questionable work ethic didn’t appear to get better with another chance in New York.
Depth receivers typically need to contribute on special teams, but that is not something Mims has shown he can do. He played just three total special teams snaps in his 30 games in New York, none in his first two years.
The hope is a change of scenery will coax out the best in Mims. The Lions gave up next to nothing to acquire him, and his contract expires after the 2023 season. It’s a low-risk move that builds the competition down the depth chart at wide receiver. If it doesn’t work out, the Lions can cut bait without worry.
The teams will also swap picks in 2025 as part of the deal. The Jets will receive a conditional sixth-round pick while the Lions will get a seventh-round pick. The condition is based on Mims making the 53-man roster for the Jets, per Tom Pelissero.
The condition on the pick swap is that Mims makes Detroit’s 53-man roster. So it’s a free look at a player who was talented enough to go 59th overall in 2020 and should be plenty motivated in a contract year. https://t.co/eucGKD4ufl
It was reported earlier Wednesday that the Jets were looking to trade Mims and would waive him if they couldn’t. They didn’t officially cut him Wednesday, keeping open the trade possibility. Sure enough, late Wednesday night, a deal was done. It took a year, but Mims finally got his wish to be traded out of New York. He gets his fresh start in Detroit under head coach Dan Campbell.
Mims was entering camp squarely on the roster bubble following three years without a touchdown and with plenty of time spent in the doghouse, going back to his rookie season in 2020. He now joins a Lions’ wide receivers room that includes Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams (who is suspended for the first six games for violating the league’s gambling policy), Marvin Jones, Josh Reynolds, Kalif Raymond and more.
As for the Jets, this opens the door for some of the young players, including undrafted free agent Jason Brownlee, to make a case and be the No. 6 receiver. That will now be one of the interesting camp battles this summer.
There will be a new wide receiver in the Detroit Lions training camp right after it starts. The Lions are trading with the New York Jets to acquire fourth-year wideout Denzel Mims from New York,
According to a report from NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, it’s a conditional 6th-round pick in 2024 headed to New York as compensation for Mims. New York will include a 2025 seventh-round pick as well.
The Jets were looking to unload Mims after two underwhelming seasons. There were reports indicating the team was prepared to release Mims if they didn’t find a trade partner. Detroit GM Brad Holmes was intrigued enough with Mims, a second-round pick out of Baylor in the 2020 NFL draft, to send two late-round picks and take a chance on the reclamation project.
In three seasons (30 games) with the Jets, Mims caught 42 passes on 92 targets for 676 yards and zero TDs. He caught 11 passes in 10 games for New York in 2022, including four starts.
The New York Jets may move on from wide receiver Denzel Mims if they’re unable to find a last minute trade partner, per the New York Post’s Brian Costello.
Mims was a second-round draft pick in 2020. He played in 30 games and tallied 42 receptions for 676 yards. The former Baylor standout came into the NFL as a speed threat, running a 4.38-second 40-yard-dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.
The New England Patriots were believed to be a potential landing spot for the wide receiver, but they ended up selecting safety Kyle Dugger with their first selection in the draft that year. Mims was even projected to go to New England in some mock drafts.
He could still be an option for a Patriots organization looking to find a playmaking wide receiver. Speedy wide receivers are common in the NFL as of late, and New England could benefit from getting another one.
It was reported on Wednesday that the Patriots were one of two teams showing interest in acquiring Mims.
The former Baylor star is in the final year of his rookie contract, which makes him a prime trading candidate for New York.
He could benefit from a change of scenery, and New England could benefit from having another speedy body at the wide receiver position. If he ends up on the free agent market, it would make sense for the Patriots to at least get a look.
The former Baylor Bear has yet to make a mark in the pros, but Dallas certainly could afford to take a look at him during training camp. | From @KDDrummondNFL
It’s been a marriage made in fan’s minds for a very long time. Now, it looks like the obstacles are finally out of the way for it to happen.
It appears the New York Jets are preparing to release wideout Denzel Mims, a 2020 second-round pick who has been a major disappointment in the Big Apple. Mims has been on the Dallas radar since that draft class, and they even tried to acquire him last summer as they realized their wide receiver ranks were not up to par. Their offer was turned down, but now it looks like the Jets are going to see no return on their investment in the former Baylor Bear, according to the AP.
#Jets will release wide receiver Denzel Mims if they find no trade partner, AP sources say
After requesting a trade last summer, the 25-year-old Mims will now get a fresh start elsewhere.https://t.co/SzIZWAzgFn
The Cowboys inquired last summer, but the Jets wanted a fourth rounder. Dallas rightfully balked, and now it appears they will be able to make an offer without having to give up any draft collateral. Stunningly, Mims has played in 30 career games and has not yet seen the end zone, so it’s doubtful he commands much of anything more than a prove-it deal once he hits the open market.
While Dallas added Brandin Cooks this offseason, they had to let go their reclamation project at wide receiver when Antonio Calloway was arrested earlier this offseason. Grabbing Mims, still just 25, seems like an ideal flyer to work with the group of Jalen Tolbert, Simi Fehoko and other unproven young talent behind the big three of CeeDee Lamb, Cooks and Michael Gallup.
Mims has just 42 career receptions but averages an impressive 16.1 yards per reception across his career.
The New York Jets are expected to waive wide receiver Denzel Mims if they can’t find a trade partner, according to Brian Costello of The New York Post. If and when Mims becomes a former Jet, the Green Bay Packers appear to make a lot of sense as a landing spot for the former Baylor star.
Mims, a second-round pick of the Jets in the 2020 draft, has only 42 catches in 30 NFL games. Last season, he hauled in 11 passes on just 25 targets. His NFL production has been modest and mostly disappointing given his draft status.
But the Packers are unsettled at wide receiver and lack experience at the position overall, and Mims — or at least the version of him coming out of college in 2020 — checks all the boxes for what the Packers typically like at receiver.
Not surprisingly, the Packers reportedly liked Mims during the 2020 pre-draft process. However, Brian Gutekunst took Jordan Love in the first round and Mims was off the board by the time the Packers came back on the clock in the second round.
But the profile is a perfect match in Green Bay.
Mims is 6-2 and 207 pounds and produced a Relative Athletic Score of 9.75 out of 10.0. At the combine, he cleared 10-11 in the broad jump and finished the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds and the three-cone drill in 6.66 seconds, all numbers within the team’s long-established athletic thresholds. He also had two 1,000-yard receiving seasons and three over 750 yards, clearing the production threshold. And he particiapted (and dominated) at the Senior Bowl, another recent marker for Packers interest. Overall, Mims has the size, bulk, athletic ability and production numbers the Packers prefer in receivers.
Adding Mims wouldn’t be costly, especially if he is waived. The Packers could get a look at him up close and determine, during a few weeks of training camp, if he fits what the team is building at wide receiver.
Currently, second-year players Chistian Watson and Romeo Doubs are the most experienced receivers in Green Bay. Mims, who is entering his fourth season, has played in at least nine games in three straight seasons, which would give the Packers a little more in the experience department at a vital position.
Mims doesn’t appear to be a game-changing receiver at the NFL level, but the Packers could provide him with a (much-needed) change of scenery and a chance to compete for legitimate playing time. If available, Mims is worth a look for a team lacking at wide receiver entering training camp.
Denzel Mims has not taken off in the NFL the way many expected him to after being a second-round pick in 2020. The Jets receiver has only 42 receptions and 676 yards in three seasons, playing only 30 games in that span.
As a result of his slow start, New York is looking to move on from the 25-year-old wideout. According to reports, he’ll be waived by the Jets if they can’t find a last-minute trade partner.
The Rams already added a few receivers this offseason, including veterans Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson, but they could consider taking another shot by acquiring Mims – especially if Mike LaFleur, their new offensive coordinator and former OC of the Jets, liked Mims in New York.
Leading up to the 2020 draft, the Rams were among the teams showing the most interest in Mims. He said they were one of the teams he was in contact with most often, a sign they liked him as a prospect.
If the Rams want to bring in the fourth-year receiver, they might need to make a trade for him. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, teams have been in contact with the Jets about Mims, suggesting a trade could happen.
Mims would give the Rams a different type of receiver. At 6-foot-3 and 207 pounds with 4.38 speed, he has a great blend of size and speed, something Los Angeles is lacking. Cooper Kupp is by no means a small receiver at 6-foot-2, but he doesn’t have the downfield speed that Mims does. Van Jefferson is plenty fast, as is Tutu Atwell, but Jefferson is 6-1 and Atwell is, well, smaller than that.
He also has a massive catch radius, similar to Allen Robinson.
If all it takes is a late-round pick to acquire Mims from the Jets, the Rams should consider it. At the very least, they can get a closer look at Mims before he hits free agency in 2024, and it’s not as if his contract is huge; the Rams would only take on his base salary of $1.35 million in 2023.
With Los Angeles’ need for a No. 3 receiver, Mims would give Sean McVay another wideout to choose from – along with Robinson, Johnson, Atwell, Ben Skowronek and Puka Nacua. It’s a low-risk move that could pay off for a young team like the Rams.
