Mike Zimmer's take on Mazi Smith feels like a thinly-veiled shot at Cowboys first-rounder

Yes, the Dallas Cowboys held their rookie minicamp this past weekend. But as always, there is plenty to talk about beyond the first-year players on the roster when speaking about "America's Team," like 2023 first-round pick Mazi Smith and his documented struggles transitioning to the NFL.

Cowboys insider, sports radio host and former team scout Bryan Broaddus provided an ominous and worrisome update on Smith during an appearance on YouTube personality Jeff Cavanaugh's channel, which is far from encouraging and a cause for concern if you are a member of the Dallas faithful. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer only made matters worse when conversing with the media recently, seemingly taking a jab at former Michigan Wolverine. 

Mike Zimmer's comments on Mazi Smith feel like a shot at Cowboys first-rounder

Zimmer was very candid with reporters, including when asked about Smith, based on the transcripted comments from Jon Machota of The Athletic:

“Obviously he was a high draft pick, and I heard that he kind of struggled a little bit last year. We’re going to start with the basics, get him in a good stance, get him using his hands the right way, getting his footwork the right way, and then kind of go from there… We anticipate that he’s going to be a good player like he was in college.”

Zimmer practically implied that he and the Cowboys are starting from ground zero with Smith and putting training wheels on him after he failed to live up to the lofty expectations Dallas set for him as a rookie with a first-round draft pedigree, focusing on "the basics" before putting additional responsibility on his plate.

It is important to note, however, that Smith is working his way back from offseason shoulder surgery.

Smith had a season to forget in 2023, recording 13 combined tackles (three for loss) and one sack across 17 games, only logging 28 percent of the defensive snaps he was available for. Moreover, he was one of the worst interior run defenders in the league, per Pro Football Focus. Yikes.

While Zimmer starting from scratch with Smith feels like a warranted and beneficial move for all parties involved, how he conveyed that message to reporters did not instill much confidence while also coming across as a subtle shot at the second-year defensive tackle.