The Green Bay Packers worked out former Dallas Cowboys first round pick, nose tackle Mazi Smith on Monday.
After the workout, it is safe to say it went fairly well given that the team subsequently announced that they had signed the 26-year old defensive lineman later in the day.
Packers Sign Mazi Smith to Practice Squad After Hargrave, Ford Injuries
With starting nose tackle Javon Hargrave out for the year with a ruptured Achilles and Jonathan Cooper was also moved to IR, having missed Week 6 with a calf injury, the Packers defensive line was badly in need of options behind rookie third rounder Chris McClellan, whose best position is actually at the three-technique rather than above the center.
Anthony Campbell has also been battling an ankle injuries, although he was able to play in the win against the Cowboys on Sunday night. And at this point in time he remains the only backup listed on the three-man defensive line on the Packers’ 53-man active roster.
Even the practice squad is bare; undrafted rookie David Blay Jr. was the only defensive lineman currently signed prior to the addition of Smith. Whilst Blay is also a nose tackle, at 6’2, 292 lbs he’s certainly on the small end in a league where NT’s routinely weigh upwards of 315 lbs.
The former Cowboy, who most recently spent time on the Dolphins‘ practice squad to start the season before being cut on Oct. 13, weighs a massive 337 lbs on a 6’3 frame.
Mazi Smith Could Make an Impact in Green Bay Early On
Practice squad players; at least ones that are not very experienced veterans added as a stop-gap towards the very end of their career; are normally not expected to see the field early on. But that could be different with Smith.
The Michigan alum would be a likely early elevation to the active roster if Anthony Campbell’s ankle issues re-surface in Week 7 and beyond, or if another Packers defensive lineman gets hurt. Even if they do not, having five defensive line options in a single game is totally plausible scenario.
In addition to being much-needed short-term depth cover at the position, Smith may also be regarded as a future investment, given that he was once one of the most physically impressive specimens to come out of the draft at the position, drawing comparisons to perennial All-Pro NT Dexter Lawrence and being named the #1 “Freak” on Bruce Feldman’s annual list in 2022.
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