The Dallas Cowboys are poised to make a bold and surprising move, with sources indicating that defensive tackle Mazi Smith, their 2023 first-round draft pick, may soon be cut from the roster. Selected 26th overall out of Michigan, Smith was heralded as a cornerstone for the Cowboys’ defensive line. However, after two underwhelming seasons and a lackluster preseason, the team appears ready to part ways with the young defender, potentially
Mazi Smith entered the NFL with high expectations, fresh off a stellar college career at Michigan. His size, strength, and potential made him a tantalizing pick for the Cowboys, who envisioned him as a dominant force in the trenches. In 2024, Smith started all 17 games, racking up 41 tackles, but his overall impact fell short of the lofty standards set for a first-round talent. His struggles to disrupt opposing offenses, combined with a disappointing 2025 preseason, have cast serious doubts on his future in Dallas.
According to USA Today’s K.D. Drummond, the Cowboys are projected to exclude Smith from their final 53-man roster. “This projection does not include DT Mazi Smith, who we are predicting will either be traded or released,” Drummond wrote on August 23, 2025. The projected defensive tackle lineup includes Osa Odighizuwa, Solomon Thomas, Perrion Winfrey, and Jay Toia, leaving no room for the former first-rounder.
Smith’s rookie contract, a four-year, $13.2 million deal, runs through 2026, but cutting him now would result in a hefty $7.8 million dead cap hit, per Spotrac. This financial burden underscores the gravity of the Cowboys’ potential decision to move on from a player once seen as a key piece of their defensive puzzle. The move echoes past disappointments with high draft picks like Trysten Hill and Taco Charlton, both of whom were released before completing their rookie contracts.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has long preached patience with young defensive linemen, citing legendary coach Tom Landry’s philosophy that “big guys” need at least three years to develop. “They can really evolve and be a different player after three years,” Jones remarked in December, per the Fort-Worth Star Telegram. He acknowledged the high expectations for a first-round nose guard like Smith but noted the challenges in defining his role early on. “You want a big block in there to completely clog that middle up, but ideally you’d like to have a big guy out there that can also have quick twitch, hit that gap and cause some havoc,” Jones said.
Smith himself has been open about his shortcomings. After a lackluster preseason performance, he admitted, “The first [preseason game], I wasn’t happy with at all, to be honest. I didn’t do anything. I just need to keep learning the scheme and keep getting off the ball.” His candid self-assessment highlights the pressure he faces as a first-round pick who has yet to live up to the hype. “I’m a first-round pick. There’s expectations, and all that,” he added, per DallasCowboys.com.
As the Cowboys finalize their roster, the clock is ticking for Smith. Will the team give him another season to prove his worth, or will they cut their losses on a $13 million gamble that hasn’t paid off? The decision could mark yet another chapter in Dallas’ history of parting ways with underperforming first-rounders. For Smith, the stakes couldn’t be higher as he fights to avoid becoming the next cautionary tale in Cowboys lore.