As the deadline to finalize the 53-man roster comes near, the Dallas Cowboys have released the veteran wide receiver, Denzel Mims. The decision was made by the Cowboys after the final preseason game against the New Orleans Saints, which the Cowboys lost 27-24.
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“WR Denzel Mims has been informed of his release from the Cowboys, per source,” ESPN reporter Todd Archer wrote on X on August 29.
This doesn’t come as a shocker to anyone, considering that he had been struggling to find his footing recording just one reception for -1 yards.
Before signing for the Cowboys, Mims had been out of the NFL for two years. He then went to the United Football League (UFL), signing with the St. Louis, where he caught five passes for 51 yards in the six games he featured in.
He then moved to the Dallas Renegades on January 13, 2026, in the UFL Draft, and had a brief stint with them where he played five games for the franchise, catching six passes for 55 yards on 12 targets, averaging 9.2 yards per catch.
After a two-year absence from the NFL, Mims had his shot at returning to the league when the Cowboys signed him. He was elated to be on the roster and expressed his thoughts on joining the iconic team.
“I just keep, you know, keep my mind straight, keep going,” Mims said on July 30 in Oxnard. “It’s going to be a lot of ups and downs, but keep going staying positive and just do what I need to do. Keep working.”
With one of the highest-paid wide receivers, CeeDee Lamb, and Pro Bowler George Pickens being the likely starters, the competition in the WR room was always going to be a difficult one to win. Alongside the stars, Mims was also going up against Jordan Hudson, Camden Brown, Jonathan Mingo, and Ryan Flournoy for the remaining wide receiver spots.
Hudson had a splendid end to his preseason in the game against the New Orleans Saints. He had four receptions for 97 yards, including a stunning 52-yard reception from a Sam Howell throw. Camden Brown, on the other hand, had his imprint all over the preseason with standout performances in all three games. Mingo was one of the backups rested for the final game, which indicates he might have a chance to make the final roster.
With all these wide receivers performing far better than Mims, the outcome seemed justified, but this once again leaves the veteran wide receiver out of options ahead of the 2026 season. With the 53-man roster deadline on Sunday at 6 pm ET, Mims will be hoping another team acts fast if he wants to continue his NFL journey, which has so far been filled with highs and lows.
Denzel Mims’ NFL journey has been full of hurdles to date
With Mims shown the exit door by the Cowboys, this marks yet another obstacle to his already hassle-filled career in the NFL. Mims was selected as the 59th overall pick by the New York Jets in the 2020 NFL Draft
For context, it is the same draft class that produced some of the league’s most dominant wide receivers, including five-time Pro Bowler Lamb, four-time Pro Bowler Justin Jefferson, and Pro Bowler Jerry Jeudy.
Mims’ stocks were high as he performed brilliantly in college with Baylor. He recorded over 1,000 yards two times in CFB. It seemed like the move to the NFL would work out for the WR, but like many college prospects, the transition to pro football just did not happen for Mims.
During his three-year stint with the Jets, Mims recorded 42 receptions for 676 yards on 92 targets in 30 games. Mims then requested for a trade, with the Jets trading him and a conditional 2025 seventh-round pick to the Detroit Lions for a conditional 2025 sixth-round pick on July 23, 2023.
His career was never the same after this move, as the Lions released him in just under a month due to injury concerns. The Pittsburgh Steelers then signed him to their practice squad on October 3, 2023, and he even earned a reserve/future contract in January, but they released him on June 19, 2024.
The Jacksonville Jaguars would then sign him but later waive him for his underwhelming performance during training camp and preseason, with the Jaguars waiving him on August 25, 2024, after which he would start his UFL journey.
Mims’ journey has been nothing short of a roller coaster, but can a team step in to save his NFL career and let him continue in the 2026 season, with him eyeing a return? If not, keep in mind that the Renegades still have the rights to Mims if he returns to the UFL.