The debate over Mazi Smith’s place on this coming Cowboys roster has gotten loud, and not without reason. On paper, he’s a first-round defensive tackle entering his third season, a position of need for a team that has been pushed around up the middle for far too long. In reality, he’s still an unproven piece who hasn’t shown he can be the answer.
Smith didn’t sugarcoat his performance against the Rams in the preseason opener. “I didn’t do anything,” he admitted. Fourteen snaps, no impact plays. For a third-year pro with a first-round pedigree, that’s not a performance that can be waved off. Fans aren’t wrong to be concerned about the Cowboys’ defensive tackle depth and whether Smith is the guy to shore it up.
But here’s where the conversation often splits. It’s not just about effort or raw talent. Smith has never lacked either. The bigger question is whether he can fit into what Matt Eberflus wants from his defensive tackles in this attack front scheme.
Eberflus didn’t throw Smith under the bus, but his comments told the story.
“We are an attack front and it’s important that he does that right and does that well. This is his first time in the system, as it is for a lot of guys. We’re all learning as we go through the process of how to play that way.”
That “play that way” part matters. Eberflus is looking for disruptors who create chaos, split doubles, and live in the backfield. By Smith’s own admission, that’s not how he has played in the past. “I’m supposed to split those ,” Smith said. “They don’t care about the doubles no more. Like if I’m getting doubled, I gotta create my own one-on-one.”
He acknowledged that approach is new for him, a shift from the way he was previously used where holding ground against a double team was considered a win. For a player who has built his game on strength and holding his ground, that’s an adjustment.
“I’m strong enough to take on a double team and not create my own one-on-one,” he explained. “We got a couple guys in this system that ain’t 315, ain’t 310, ain’t 305. Watching them boys get off and create their one-on-ones, I get to learn from them… It’s good to see them do that. I can implement it in my game.”
This is the intersection between player and coach right now. Smith is trying to rewire the way he plays, while Eberflus is deciding if that adaptation can actually happen at NFL speed. And he’s doing it under the weight of being a former first-round pick.
No, it’s not time to trade him. The Cowboys cannot afford to lose bodies at defensive tackle, and moving on from Smith before he gets a fair shot in Eberflus’ system would be premature. But it is time for results. Potential and “learning the scheme” only get you so far before patience runs out.
That is why Saturday against the Ravens, even with their starters resting, is a proving ground. Smith does not need to have a Pro Bowl-level performance, but he does need to:
If he does those things, the conversation shifts from “Should they trade Mazi?” to “Maybe Eberflus is unlocking something here.” If he doesn’t, the criticism will only get louder, and at that point, the questions will be about more than scheme fit.
Saturday is less about whether Smith can dominate and more about whether he can prove he belongs as a building block in Eberflus’ defense. Right now, he is a big body on a thin depth chart. The Cowboys need more than that, and Saturday is another chance for him to show he can give it to them.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 4 things Mazi Smith must show vs Ravens to prove he’s capable of playing in Eberflus’ D
Reporting by Jazz Monet, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
