The New York Jets tried to make things work with former first-round defensive tackle Mazi Smith, but things never quite got off the ground for him during his time in New York.
They cut ties with him before roster cutdown day and declined to bring him back on the practice squad after seeing him up close at the end of 2025 and throughout the summer.
He ended up latching on with the Miami Dolphins and was a member of their practice squad for the first five games of the 2026 season, but it seems that time has now come to an end.
“We have waived wide receiver Ryan Miller and claimed wide receiver Jared Wayne off waivers from Houston,” the Dolphins posted to their X account.
“We have also signed defensive lineman Jordan Jefferson to the practice squad and released defensive lineman Mazi Smith from the practice squad.”
We have also signed defensive lineman Jordan Jefferson to the practice squad and released defensive lineman Mazi Smith from the practice squad.
Mazi Smith’s Jets Tenure
Smith arrived with the New York Jets at the 2025 trade deadline, when the team dealt All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys.
In the deal, the Jets got back Smith, Dallas’ 2026 second-round draft pick, and the better of the Cowboys’ or Green Bay Packers‘ first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
The Jets eventually turned that 2026 second-rounder into Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds, who hopes to be a key piece for the Jets at some point down the road.
Smith was essentially a throw-in, a player who the Cowboys had clearly given up on but were willing to throw in the deal, likely because the Jets were in desperate need of depth at defensive tackle.
The former Michigan standout would appear in three games for the Jets down the stretch of the 2025 season, playing 54 defensive snaps and six special teams snaps. It’s safe to say he didn’t make much of an impact.
Considering that, at that point in the season, the Jets were playing replacement-level football players to close out a relatively meaningless season, it’s not a good sign that Smith could hardly get on the field.
It made the fact that they kept him so late into the summer so curious, but I suppose they were hoping to squeeze whatever they could out of the former Cowboy.
Mazi Smith Likely Done in the NFL
Unless his old college coach Jim Harbaugh does Smith a favor and gives him a shot out in Los Angeles with the Chargers, it’s incredibly likely that the 26th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft’s career is likely over.
His best shot to stick around was with his original team, the Dallas Cowboys, but he failed to make a legitimate impact in his first three years with Dallas.
He appeared in 39 games, starting 20, and managed to record only 57 tackles, seven tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, and two sacks.
For a player who was supposed to be one of the best in the 2023 draft, Smith’s tenure in the league has been incredibly underwhelming, and it’s fair to wonder if his time in the NFL has come to an end.
Ex-Jets First-Round Bust Career Likely Over After Dolphins Release