Former Cowboys First-Round Pick Mazi Smith Set to Join Packers Practice Squad

Former Dallas Cowboys first-round draft pick Mazi Smith is planning to join the Green Bay Packers practice squad after arriving in Wisconsin just a day after Dallas suffered an embarrassing loss on Sunday Night Football. ESPN NFL insider Rob Demovsky first reported the workout and the subsequent practice squad plans.

Mazi Smith Arrives in Green Bay After Dallas Departure

Smith flew out of Miami after being recently released by the Miami Dolphins, where he spent the first few months of the 2026 season on the practice squad following a brief stint appearing in just one game. Drafted No. 26 overall by the Cowboys in the 2023 draft, Smith lasted only two and a half seasons in Dallas before management traded him to the New York Jets as a throwaway piece in the Quinnen Williams trade. At just 25 years old, Smith is now joining his fourth team in four years. ESPN NFL insider Rob Demovsky noted that his new opportunity comes with the exact franchise that just handed Dallas an ugly prime-time defeat.

Dallas Defensive Struggles Continue Without Smith

While Smith attempts to salvage his career in Green Bay, the franchise that drafted him is enduring historic defensive struggles. Through six weeks of the 2026 NFL season, the Cowboys rank No. 30 overall in total defense, giving up 382.5 yards per game and 18 touchdowns. Their run defense sits dead last in the league, allowing 149.8 rushing yards per contest and seven touchdowns on the ground, according to team data reported by Sports Illustrated. Pass defense numbers fare little better, with Dallas ranking No. 23 while surrendering 232.7 passing yards per game. With three different defensive coordinators cycling through the organization over recent years, analysts note that Smith may never have been the root cause of the defensive collapse.

Green Bay Prepares Practice Squad Integration

Demovsky reported that the Packers are planning to place Smith on the practice squad, meaning the defensive tackle must still earn his way onto an active 53-man roster. Green Bay’s coaching staff evaluated Smith during Monday afternoon workouts following their Sunday night victory. The transaction places Smith in position to practice against the team that cut ties with him before his rookie contract expired, though it remains undetermined when or if he will elevate to active game-day status for the Packers.

Unresolved Questions for the Cowboys Defense

As Green Bay integrates Smith into its practice facility, questions linger in Texas regarding the front office’s long-term inability to solidify the defensive line. With Dallas ranking No. 30 in total defense and anchored at the bottom of the league in stopping the run, management faces mounting scrutiny over defensive struggles. Whether defensive coordinator Christian Parker can find solutions for a unit surrendering nearly 383 yards per game remains entirely unanswered as the team moves past the mid-October stretch of the season.

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