With the deadline having passed on Friday, the New York Jets have made their decisions on fifth-year options.
After exercising Will McDonald’s option, the Jets decided not to pick up the option of defensive tackle Mazi Smith. The Michigan native was a 2023 first-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys, whom the Jets acquired in the Quinnen Williams trade last season.
Selected No. 26 overall out of Michigan, Smith never lived up to his first-round pedigree. Over two seasons with the Cowboys, he appeared in 34 games, finishing his tenure with two sacks, six quarterback hits, and 16 total pressures.
Even more worrisome was his run defense, which was his calling card in college. In each of his NFL seasons, he has logged a sub-40.0 run-defense grade from Pro Football Focus.
After being traded to the Jets, he appeared in just three games with the team (54 total snaps) and struggled to crack a weak defensive line rotation, being listed as a healthy inactive on multiple occasions.
Declining to exercise Smith’s fifth-year option was an easy decision by the Jets. It was estimated to be worth around $13.9 million.
Following the additions of David Onyemata, T’Vondre Sweat, and Darrell Jackson Jr. this offseason, there is a high chance that Smith doesn’t earn a spot on the team’s 53-man roster for the 2026 season.
As the Jets shift towards more of a 3-4 base defense this season, they need multiple nose tackles, and Smith could potentially fit that bill as a rotational NT. However, players like Sweat, Jackson Jr., and Harrison Phillips make much more sense for that role.
Ultimately, it would be surprising to see Smith on Gang Green’s roster after cutdown day.
