One of the more puzzling situations through the first two weeks of the regular season has been the Dallas Cowboys not giving former first-round pick Mazi Smith any snaps.
The 24-year-old defensive tackle has surprisingly been inactive for the first two games, which has led fans to wonder why he’s still on the roster. Or better yet, they want to know what’s going on with him.
During an appearance on 105.3 The Fan on Friday, Dallas owner Jerry Jones was again asked about Smith, and said (h/t Jon Machota of The Athletic), “We just need to get him where (his agility, strength, athleticism) results in making plays.”
As you can imagine, Cowboys fans are growing tired of the same messages from Jones and head coach Brian Schottenheimer. It’s weird to see a player who started in all 17 games last season, granted under a different defensive coordinator, suddenly become inactive.
Cowboys Must Figure Out Solution to Ongoing Mazi Smith Issue
After the Cowboys’ Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Schottenheimer told reporters that he had a great conversation with the young defensive lineman and mentioned that he needs to be consistent.
However, the fact that Smith can’t get on the field to show consistency or his skills is not helping anyone in this situation.
The Cowboys are set at the defensive tackle spot, thanks to the acquisition of Mazi Smith, the free-agent signing of Solomon Thomas, and Osa Odighizuwa. All three guys played well in last week’s win over the New York Giants.
Now, rookie Jay Toia is still struggling to start his NFL career (47.3 defensive grade in Week 2 on PFF), and one would think Dallas would get Smith on the field to see what he can do. But instead, they’re giving confusing answers that can only be solved in a game situation.
That said, the Cowboys still need to figure out a solution with Smith, as they can’t keep playing this cat-and-mouse game. At this point in the season, Dallas needs to put him on the field or potentially trade him.
If Smith isn’t a fit for Matt Eberflus’ system and isn’t showing the necessary results in practice, Dallas is better off letting him go elsewhere. You will not get a lot back in return in a trade, but it's better than the other option, which is cutting him.