The worst player on the Jets roster still has a chance to stick around

First-round picks usually aren't supposed to be fighting for the final spots on a 53-man roster just three years into their careers. Unfortunately, that's exactly where Mazi Smith finds himself entering his first training camp with the New York Jets.

The Jets acquired Smith as part of the Quinnen Williams trade with the Dallas Cowboys last season, with the hope that a change of scenery would help revive a disastrous start to his pro career.

Instead, he struggled to earn playing time, even as part of a defensive line that was pulling players off the street late in the year. Now, he finds himself fighting an uphill battle to stick around in the NFL.

Day 43 of your 2026 Jets Camp Countdown belongs to the Cowboys Castoff, the Jerry Jones Special, and the free sample from the Quinnen Williams trade...it's Mazi Smith.

1. Where Mazi Smith stands entering Jets training camp
2. Is there still hope for Mazi Smith?
3. What would make 2026 a success for Mazi Smith
4. Recent 2026 Camp Countdown Breakdowns

Where Mazi Smith stands entering Jets training camp

The Cowboys selected Smith with the 26th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, betting on the former Michigan standout to strengthen their run defense while eventually developing into a complete interior defensive lineman.

Of course, that didn't exactly happen. After two disappointing seasons in Dallas, Smith found himself as a healthy scratch before eventually being included in last year's Williams trade.

The Jets took a low-risk chance on a former first-round talent, hoping a fresh start and a new coaching staff could unlock some of the potential that made him a first-round selection.

But the results were largely the same. Smith appeared in just three games after arriving in Florham Park. Despite the Jets evaluating young players late in the season, he struggled to earn defensive snaps, with practice squad players like Payton Page and Khalen Saunders arguably receiving more opportunities.

Smith recorded the classic Tony Snell stat line of zero tackles, zero tackles for loss, zero pressures, and one missed tackle in his three appearances. Not great!

Is there still hope for Mazi Smith?

Probably not!

Smith does appear to be on the outside of the roster bubble looking in entering training camp. T'Vondre Sweat, Jowon Briggs, David Onyemata, Harrison Phillips, and rookie Darrell Jackson Jr. are all firmly entrenched on the depth chart, leaving little room for another interior defensive lineman if the Jets carry only five.

But there's a chance he could still find a way to sneak onto the Week 1 roster. The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt recently projected Smith to survive roster cuts in his way-too-early 53-man roster projection last week.

Rosenblatt specifically cited the $2.56 million in guaranteed money remaining on his contract and the possibility that defensive line coach Karl Dunbar could still help develop the former first-round pick. It should be noted that Rosenblatt's projection had the Jets carrying six defensive linemen.

That said, if Smith is going to make this roster, he'll need to show far more than he has through his first three NFL seasons. You can make a strong case that he was the worst player on the Jets' roster in 2025.

His best single-season Pro Football Focus run-defense grade is an abysmal 35.9. He's recorded just 29 run stops on 513 run-defense snaps while generating only 18 pressures on 458 pass-rush opportunities in three NFL seasons. Once again, not great!

What would make 2026 a success for Mazi Smith

The expectations have obviously changed for Smith at this stage of his career. Nobody is asking him to become the player the Cowboys envisioned when they drafted him in the first round. At this point, Smith is just hoping to salvage his NFL career.

The immediate goal for the former Michigan standout is earning a place on the Jets' 53-man roster and proving he belongs in an NFL defensive line rotation. Which honestly, even that feels like a stretch given what he's put on tape to this point.

Whether that comes as T'Vondre Sweat's primary backup at nose tackle or as part of a six-man interior rotation, any sort of a role would be a significant step forward after the way the last three seasons have unfolded.

Smith, in theory, still has the size, athletic traits, and draft pedigree that made him an intriguing prospect coming out of Michigan. The Jets are betting Karl Dunbar can help bring more of that out.

This is likely his last opportunity to prove he can be an NFL-caliber defensive lineman.

Recent 2026 Camp Countdown Breakdowns

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow