The Dallas Cowboys are riding high after a promising Week 1, particularly with the stellar debut of their 2025 first-round pick, Tyler Booker. The rookie offensive lineman capitalized on an opportunity created by Jalen Carter’s ejection, delivering an impressive performance by allowing the fifth-lowest pressure rate among rookie offensive linemen. It’s the kind of start that has Cowboys fans buzzing with excitement for the future of their offensive line.
But while Booker’s star is rising, the same can’t be said for 2023 first-round pick Mazi Smith. The former Michigan standout was a healthy scratch in Week 1, barely clinging to a spot on the 53-man roster. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer didn’t mince words when addressing Smith’s absence, emphasizing that the defensive tackle needs to show far greater consistency to earn a place on the field. For a player once heralded as a cornerstone of the Cowboys’ defensive front, this is a sobering fall from grace.
During an appearance on 105.3 The Fan, team owner Jerry Jones dropped a bombshell that could signal the end of Smith’s tenure in Dallas. When asked about the defensive tackle rotation for the upcoming Week 2 matchup against the New York Giants, Jones was blunt: “I suspect we got out of there pretty clean. My guess would be that it would look pretty similar to last weekend,” he said, as reported by Tommy Yarrish of DallasCowboys.com. Translation? Don’t expect to see Smith suiting up anytime soon.
Jones’ comments suggest that Smith’s inactivity isn’t a one-week punishment but a reflection of his standing in a crowded and competitive defensive tackle room. The Cowboys seem content with their current lineup, which includes Osa Odighizuwa, Kenny Clark, and Solomon Thomas, all of whom impressed in Week 1 against a rugged Philadelphia Eagles offensive line. Adding insult to injury, seventh-round rookie Jay Toia has leapfrogged Smith on the depth chart, earning snaps and proving he can hold his own against NFL-caliber competition.
The situation grew even bleaker for Smith with the news that Perrion Winfrey, another competitor at defensive tackle, was placed on injured reserve with a back injury, sidelining him for at least four weeks. While this removes one rival from the equation, it does little to bolster Smith’s case, as the Cowboys clearly favor Toia’s potential over Smith’s pedigree.
NBC color commentator Cris Collinsworth didn’t hold back during the Week 1 broadcast, laying bare the precariousness of Smith’s position. “If you’re inactive with what they’ve got at defensive tackle, that’s as close to being cut as you can be, right? It’s quite the statement about your former number one pick,” Collinsworth remarked. His words cut deep, underscoring the reality that a first-round talent in his third year is being outshined by a late-round rookie and a player who spent last season in the UFL.
While it’s possible Collinsworth understated the overall strength of Dallas’ defensive tackle group, no one is arguing it’s among the league’s elite. Yet, Smith finds himself buried behind Toia and Winfrey, a damning indictment of his development—or lack thereof. Jones’ blunt assessment during the radio appearance only reinforced this narrative, with the owner reportedly stating, “He’s not a 3-technique,” a comment that suggests Smith doesn’t fit the Cowboys’ schematic needs at defensive tackle. For a player drafted with high expectations, this feels like the final nail in the coffin.
Even if Smith manages to see the field in the coming weeks, the writing is on the wall. His tenure with the Cowboys appears to be on borrowed time, with a departure after the 2025 season—if not sooner—seeming increasingly inevitable. For a franchise that invested a first-round pick in him, the inability to carve out a role in a relatively thin position group speaks volumes. Meanwhile, the Cowboys are moving forward with a new crop of talent, like Booker and Toia, who are proving they belong. For Mazi Smith, the clock is ticking, and the window to salvage his Dallas career is rapidly closing.