The Steelers will not be making any coaching changes following their blowout loss to the Texans to fall to 2-2 on the 2023 NFL season. But they are tweaking their roster, on Tuesday signing wide receiver Denzel Mims to the practice squad, per NFL Media.
Mims, 25, was a second-round draft pick of the Jets in 2020. He spent three seasons in New York before he being traded to the Lions this summer. He's still recovering from an ankle injury suffered in training camp, according to Mike Garafolo, but offers emergency insurance at a position where Pittsburgh is still without injured starter Diontae Johnson.
Johnson, who's on injured reserve, isn't eligible to take the field until Week 7, after the Steelers' bye week. Mims, therefore, could be a candidate for promotion from the practice squad, if he's healthy. Teams are permitted to elevate scout-team players to game-day rosters three different times during the season.
Mims, who starred at Baylor in college, flashed as a rookie with the Jets, averaging 15.5 yards per catch in nine games. But he struggled to carve out a consistent role in New York, totaling just 19 catches in 21 games the following two seasons. After the Jets added several receivers in free agency, including Allen Lazard and Mecole Hardman, they dealt Mims to Detroit in a swap of late-round draft picks. Mims was later waived with an injury settlement.
