Mazi Smith Is too late to realize what the Cowboys already have

Three years into his NFL career, Mazi Smith is still searching for ways to make an impact. And the Dallas Cowboys might be running out of patience. Drafted 26th overall in 2023, Smith was supposed to be the anchor of the Cowboys defensive line. Instead, he’s become a cautionary tale of potential unmet.

However, his first preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams last Saturday painted a bleak picture: 14 snaps, zero stats. Not a single tackle, pressure, or disruption. Smith himself admitted, “I didn’t do anything. You gotta do something. I’m a first-round pick. There’s expectations.”

Mazi Smith might be on borrowed time with Cowboys

You have to give Smith credit. He was brutally honest with himself. That kind of honesty is rare these days, but it doesn’t change the harsh reality that he may never be able to fulfill his potential in Dallas despite high expectations from the Cowboys and their fans.

Smith has already gone through two different defensive coordinators in his first two years: Dan Quinn and Mike Zimmer. Whether it was Dan Quinn’s aggressive style or Mike Zimmer’s read-and-react system, none of them has been able to unlock his potential. Now under Matt Eberflus, the clock is ticking. Now, former Bears head coach Matt Eberflus is his third defensive coordinator.

Back in February, Eberflus offered a surprising opinion on Smith during an interview with a longtime Cowboys writer, Clarence Hill from ALL DLLS ($), which was noted by Dallas Cowboys On SI.

"I’m excited about Mazi,” Eberflus said. “An explosive athlete, big body type that can move really well. I’m excited about bringing his game to the next level”.

Still, even his former coach has now throwing in the towel about Smith ever reaching his potential. Defensive line assistant coach Greg Ellis, who was on Mike Zimmer's staff last season, believes the scheme fit is broken.

“It’s really not Mazi’s game,” Ellis said. “If they don’t adjust the scheme to let his superhero ability flash, they may need to just trade him”.

It is wild to think Ellis to say the Cowboys should simply cut their losses and trade him outright. But then again, Ellis played for the Cowboys for 11 seasons and worked closely with Smith last season more than anyone. And if Ellis could not get the most out of Smith under Zimmer's scheme, it is hard to believe Smith will thrive under Eberflus' Tampa-2 scheme.

If his preseason continues to be this unimpactful, don’t be surprised if the Cowboys cut their losses, literally. A trade or release could be on the horizon as they look for solutions both internally and externally. While Smith is still trying to figure it out, the Cowboys probably already know what they have in Smith: A bust.