Mazi Smith
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Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Mazi Smith.
If Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Mazi Smith wasn’t sure about what his future might hold with his team, he got all the information he needed after last week’s mega-trade that sent Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers.
That’s because, in return, the Cowboys not only got 2 first round picks but also received 2-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark, who automatically slotted ahead of Smith on the depth chart.
While the trade isn’t the final punctuation mark on Smith’s time in Dallas, the former first round pick has struggled mightily since he was taken No. 26 overall in the 2023 NFL draft.
Getting traded away from Dallas and getting a fresh start might not be the worst scenario for Smith, who Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox predicts could be shipped to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a 2026 sixth round pick.
“No, the Dallas Cowboys aren’t in fire-sale mode — at least, not yet,” Knox wrote on September 3. “However, they did bring back defensive tackle Kenny Clark in the Parsons trade, which only further complicates the future of 2023 first-round pick Mazi Smith … Smith is now listed as a backup and could probably benefit from a change of scenery. The Cowboys, meanwhile, should be willing to listen to any reasonable offer for him since the 24-year-old doesn’t look like a long-term building block in Dallas.”
Smith is in the third season of a 4-year, $13.27 million rookie contract.
Video: Inside the #Cowboys war room debating who to take at 26th overall of the 2023 Draft.
It apparently came down to Michigan DT Mazi Smith and OL Matthew Bergeron.pic.twitter.com/WEZirpj1xG
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 1, 2023
Smith Fell Flat In First Year As Full Time Starter
Smith, 6-foot-3 and 337 pounds, has played in all 34 regular season games through his first 2 seasons and became a full time starter in 2024, when he started all 17 games.
He did little to separate himself last season and finished with 41 tackles, 4 TFL but in terms of dynamic stats — sacks, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries and pass deflections — he had just 1.0 sack and was blanked in the other categories.
According to Pro Football Focus, Smith’s overall grade of 34.8 put him among the very worst defensive tackles in the NFL as he finished 208 out of 220 eligible players at his position.
“Former first-rounder Mazi Smith endured a particularly tough 2024 campaign,” PFF’s Mason Cameron wrote on May 9. “He posted an abysmal 34.7 PFF overall grade, marking his second consecutive season of earning a sub-48.0 grade. Although Dallas signed Solomon Thomas in free agency, that doesn’t profile as the answer to the Cowboys’ 30th-ranked run-defense grade (48.0).”
Cowboys Paying Big Money For Defensive Tackles
Another problem for Smith is that with Clark now on the roster, the Cowboys are paying way too much money for their defensive tackles.
Clark still has 2 years and $41.5 million remaining on the 3-year, $64 million contract extension he signed in July 2024. On top of that, the Cowboys signed defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa to a 4-year, $80 million contract extension on March 4.
If you want evidence of how bad the Cowboys struggle with the salary cap, just look at the defensive side of the ball.
Between 2 positions — defensive tackle and cornerback — the Cowboys have approximately $336 million in salaries wrapped up in 4 players with Clark, Odighizuwa, cornerback Trevon Diggs ($97 million) and cornerback DaRon Bland ($92 million).