Report: Cowboys' Mazi Smith may be dealing with struggles beyond field

[Chasing6]

Funny, because you think only QB's win and lose games?

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Most fans don't get it.....they never broke a sweat or wore a jock strap! Lol

It's like they have never been on a team and worked towards a goal together.

 

[KingCorcoran]

Class dont win games

Lack of it doesn’t win respect. If the young man is struggling wish him the best.

 

[Rockport]

Funny, because you think only QB's win and lose games?

LOL, just the opposite. I’ve been preaching it’s a team game since Christ was a Cpl.

 

[MikeT22]

So naive but if you haven’t noticed there’s a new DC in town with, apparently, a totally new way for each position to play the way they had before. So just because of the new system, the run game will be better with or without Mazi.

So naive

 

[MikeT22]

Yea, Mazi is supposed to be a big part of the run D. He's supposed to take on double teams so the LBs are free. We have nobody that has proven they can do that if he doesn't step up

Zimmer's system is so good anyone can apparently fill in at DT if needed.

 

[RonWashington]

If Mazi doesn't make the jump this season, we're screwed.

If we’re counting on Mazi Smith to come through coming off shoulder surgery and a horrible rookie year then turn out the lights Dandy Don .

 

[KingintheNorth]

The problem for me was these concerns were known pre-draft.

I hope he figures it all out and not just because he was a Cowboys 1st round pick, but the lack of accountability from the GM keeps drafting players who have glaring deficiencies and/or red flags. Randy Gregory, Jaylon Smith, Kelvin Joseph, Taco Charlton. Three out of their four draft picks from last year are looking really suspect right now.

 

[Jarntt]

It wasn’t a great rookie season for Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Mazi Smith, and his sophomore year isn’t starting off any better. Smith’s shoulder surgery could be hampering his ability to make any drastic improvement before Year 2, and now it appears other factors are at play in his developmental curve.

In a recent podcast, former Cowboys scout and current media personality Bryan Broaddus hinted there may be some mental health angles to Smith’s struggles in his rookie season.

Full Article

1) Broaddus just never seems to be right about anything and just seems to make crap up half of the time
2) I didn't hear anything in that clip stating he has mental health issues. More just that he may have felt the pressure to succeed, but even that seemed opinion based and an assumption with no explanation or anything backing it up

 

[coult44]

Screw Mazi and Bryan, they both suck

Why does Bryan Suck?

 

[john van brocklin]

He’s right. If Smith can’t make the jump, the DT position is brutal and teams will just grind us to a pulp.

Dallas’ compete inaction at DT in FA was baffling beyond belief.

Their complete lack of activity across the board in free agency was baffling!

 

[plymkr]

He clearly has the money to afford the storage unit. This is not your regular 22 year old.

The question at that point is why? Was he overwhelmed and missed it? Was there a reason why he wanted to let all of that go?

If he’s depressed or feeling overwhelmed I could see how he avoided dealing with the storage unit. Avoidance is pretty common with anxiety. That’s my guess. I hope if he is suffering from mental health problems the Cowboys get him some help. Mental health issues are pretty rough if not taken care of.

 

[SoCalBoy]

Class dont win games

How many games have you won?

 

[SoCalBoy]

the Nashon Wright of Dt's

Ouch.

 

[Buzzbait]

Broaddus has the issues. He is never right. And always picks a player to rag about.

I hope he's wrong about Mazi.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

It wasn’t a great rookie season for Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Mazi Smith, and his sophomore year isn’t starting off any better. Smith’s shoulder surgery could be hampering his ability to make any drastic improvement before Year 2, and now it appears other factors are at play in his developmental curve.

In a recent podcast, former Cowboys scout and current media personality Bryan Broaddus hinted there may be some mental health angles to Smith’s struggles in his rookie season.

Full Article

He could not be in a better place
Cowboys are patient patient and love projects be they mental or physical. We'll get him going if it takes 8 years!

 

[tunahelper]

Screw Mazi and Bryan, they both suck

I thought NT were supposed to be mental cases?

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Basically it sounded like Broaddus was hearing (hinting at) Mazi lacked the mental makeup to be a number one pick of the highest profile team in sports and play under the brightest of lights. Further the disappointing play led led to an emotional downward spiral that fed on itself as the season progressed. That is what it sounded like Broaddus was getting at to me.

I am a BB fan but he needs to shut his damn mouth on this type of issue unless he has facts. He is not a mental expert or professional. Speculations from his platform carries weight. I understand he is paid to give his opinion and I respect that but this is over the top unless he has some verifiable proof and if he does, he needs to say IMO. It is interesting that Zim took an indirect shot at Quinn for the kid not being further alone than he should be.


Comments from Zim interview.....
draft pick, and I heard that he kinda struggled a little bit last year. We’re gonna 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 kinda go from there. … We anticipate that he’s gonna be a good player like he was in college.



The team and Smith haven’t publicly shared anything along those lines as the second-year DT has rehabbing his shoulder and preparing for training camp. However it’s hard to fathom Broaddus bringing this up without verifying the accuracy.

It’s hard to ignore the pressures that come from being a professional athlete and a highly decorated one as a first-round pick. Combine those burdens with playing for such a high-profile team like the Cowboys while failing to live up to expectations and it’s understandable to see how Smith could be affected.

 

[DuncanIso]

If that's true, you'd think the Cowboys would be making a move at NT...

In the AAGap, DT are out near the LT/RT. B gap.

LBs are in the A gaps.

Different scheme than last season.

Not sure Mazi even fits.

 

[shabazz]

I guess you never heard of the game passing coaches by lol yea, I guess Zimmer is immune to that lol

Yeah, according to Rocco, when Zim is 88 he,ll be even sharper