The Dallas Cowboys have one week to trim their roster down from 90 to 53 players. That is going to be a challenging task this year, especially with injuries galore on defense. Figuring out the different timelines and prognosis for all the injuries will be a challenge for the front office and the new coaching staff.
Brian Schottenheimer promised some changes to the roster and one player who might be fighting for their spot on the team is former first-round pick Mazi Smith. It’s been an up-and-down camp for Smith and there have been some questions regarding his fit in Matt Eberflus’ defense. But would the Cowboys really release their top draft pick from the 2023 draft?
There has been a real push from several Cowboys beat reporters and insiders, including Jon Machota of The Athletic, suggesting that Smith isn’t guaranteed to be on the roster. On one hand, it makes sense. Smith’s play has been very poor during the preseason and he just doesn’t fit what Eberflus likes to do on defense.
Cowboys DT Mazi Smith’s roster spot might be in jeopardy
Smith has been late off the ball, and his inability to hold up against double teams really impacts his effectiveness. There are times when he does a good job of clogging up the middle of the field, but those snaps are far and few between.
However, releasing Smith doesn’t solve the defensive tackle woes for the Cowboys. All it does is make them worse. Jay Toia continues to be just as bad during the preseason and his lack of mobility shows up on tape. Perrion Winfrey and Solomon Thomas aren’t known for their run stopping abilities and are best suited to be rotational pass rushers.
Dallas also doesn’t save any cap space by releasing Smith. In fact, it would actually cost them $2.5 million in 2025 cap space to release Smith this offseason. They could save $1.9 million with a trade, and that seems more likely than outright releasing him, but the fact that either option is being considered goes to show how poorly the Cowboys missed on their first-round pick from the 2023 draft.
Smith will likely play on Friday night against the Falcons, and there is a chance that he could be playing for his spot on the roster. He is still more likely to make the roster than not, but nothing should be written in pen with just a week to go.
Keep an eye on Smith over the next week as his future with the Cowboys could be decided on Friday night.
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