Mailbag: Mazi Smith affected by 3rd different DC

[ColoradoCowboy]

I am NOT counting on Mazi.
Would it be great if he turned it on and balled out? Heck YEAH!
Do I expect him to? Sadly, no.
He just doesn't seem to love the game.


Let me put it another way:

• You're 24.
• You have a VERY physically demanding job that you don't really like very much.
• You have made $8,757,719 in the last TWO years and you are going to make another $2,000,000 or so this year whether you play or not.

What do YOU do?

 

[gtb1943]

Typically, the plug-and-play DT's are top 5 picks and they still have their early issues, particularly against the run.

Mazi will improve again this season. I

actually it is pass rush that DTs usually take time
run stoppers can be found all through the draft as has been proven again and again
just for some reason we can't do it

 

[Hadenough]

This is ridiculous! Mazi is a bust and stop making excuses for his poor play.

 

[DuncanIso]

We are all hard on Mazi, including me. But if I stop and think about it, he rookie year he was asked to lose 40 lbs during the season and play under 300 lbs. That is asking a lot of a guy. Then his next season, they ask him to gain the weight back. That's moronic.

Still, Mazi needs to step up his game in a big way or I don't see how he avoids the bust tag. Maybe bust is too strong of a word but it is

He’s slow.

Unlikely they pick up his 5th year.

He’s GTD through next season.

Only hope is a post June trade in 2026.

POST-6/1 RELEASE​

2026 Dead Cap: $4,223,767
2027 Dead Cap: $0
2026 Savings: $0

POST-6/1 TRADE​

2026 Dead Cap: $1,663,581
2027 Dead Cap: $0
2026 Savings: $2,560,186

From his NFL draft profile.

Weaknesses​

• Hasn’t made many plays behind the line of scrimmage.
• Motor runs out of gas when tempo heats up.
• Slow reaction to movement gets him sealed.
• Struggled against Iowa’s zone scheme attack.
• Surprising lack of anchor consistency against double teams.
• Unlikely to see many passing downs as a pro.

 

[Chasing6]

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/mailbag-mazi-affected-by-3rd-different-dc

Some encouraging words about Mazi.
Though this will get many of the typical responses.

Eberflus and Whitecotton are excited to see what he can do.
As they said, he improved in year 2 over a year 1. Which we all know was not all that great.
And this being year 3. And with coaches that may know how to use him better, at what he is good at. Instead of making him lose weight, and do things he was not asked to do in college.

So this is his make or break year. We will not know until game 1 or so. As fans will have varying opinions from the TC hype.

Not exactly difficult for him to improve in year 2, after asking him to lose 30 pounds in year 1.

Year 1 was a complete waste of time.