It gets forgotten that Mazi Smith was included in the Dallas Cowboys' blockbuster trade for star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, largely because he had a forgettable two-plus years in Dallas.
Under Jerry Jones, the Cowboys generally give high draft picks three years to find their footing before cutting them loose. It only took two and a half seasons for Jones to pull the plug on Smith, and many Dallas supporters would argue that the divorce should've happened sooner.
In a vacuum, there’s no real reason to root against Smith. Sure, the Jets own the Cowboys’ 2026 second-round pick and the better of their two first-rounders in 2027, but how much is Smith actually going to help New York win games? If his Jets debut is any indication, the answer is little to none.
Former Cowboys DT Mazi Smith flounders in Jets debut
Smith played 20 snaps in New York's win over the Browns on Sunday. Cowboys fans won't be surprised to learn that he finished with the second-lowest PFF grade on the team with a 30.2 mark, per Pro Football Focus. That sounds pretty darn familiar, doesn't it?
It's admittedly a small sample, but Smith missed his only tackle opportunity and was largely a non-factor against the run, which contributed to his 40.2 run-defense grade. He contributed on one run stuff, but that was often the case during his time in Dallas: every 15 snaps or so, he would flash.
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The problem is what occurred in between those flashes. His slow trigger off the snap put him in disadvantageous situations that often ended with him getting blown off the ball. Drafted to handle double teams, Smith seldom, if ever, stood his ground when doubled. In most cases, he was thrown out of his gap, which created gaping running lanes for opposing offenses.
The problem lies in what happened between those flashes. His slow trigger off the snap consistently put him in disadvantageous positions, often ending with him getting blown off the ball. Drafted to anchor against double teams, Smith rarely, if ever, held his ground. More often than not, he was driven out of his gap, leaving Dallas' linebackers exposed and creating gaping lanes for opposing runners.
If there’s any silver lining for Smith, it’s that he should keep seeing snaps on a Jets interior defensive line that's short on depth. Maybe a change of scenery will help him eventually, but he was given every opportunity -- and then some -- to succeed in Dallas.
Unfortunately, his Jets debut was more of the same.