3 Cowboys Starters Who Will Be Benched this Season

2. Mazi Smith, DT

A first-round pick out of Michigan in 2023, Mazi Smith wasn’t allowed to play his natural position as a rookie. Under Dan Quinn, he was playing the 3-tech and being asked to generate a pass rush. He even lost roughly 30 pounds which cost him some strength. Smith ended his rookie campaign with just 13 tackles and one sack despite playing in all 17 games.

With Mike Zimmer taking over as the new defensive coordinator following Quinn heading to Washington, Smith is expected to be a 1-tech again. He’s also been seen working on “read and react” technique during practices rather than trying to get after the quarterback.

As promising as this is, we still need to see Smith put it all together on the field. His rookie season left a lot to be desired and while that’s not all his fault, he didn’t exactly blow anyone away this offseason.

Dallas also landed some potential replacements when they traded for Jordan Phillips in a trade with the Giants and signing Linval Joseph.

Phillips is more comfortable as a 3-tech but has the size to fill in if Smith doesn’t live up to expectations. Joseph is in his mid-30s so his snap count will be limited but he has familiarity with Zimmer, making him a threat to steal early downs.

Dallas wants Smith to succeed and will give him every chance to keep the job. But he has to prove he can handle it or risk being benched down the road.