The Green Bay Packers are signing former first-round defensive tackle Mazi Smith to the practice squad. ESPN reporter Rob Demovsky first reported the signing. The move addresses a depth issue that developed on the interior of the defensive line over the first weeks of the season. Smith was the 26th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, selected by the Dallas Cowboys out of Michigan.

Dallas traded Smith to the New York Jets in 2025. Earlier this year, he spent time with the Miami Dolphins, mostly on the practice squad, and he appeared in one game for them. Miami released him last week. Once he became available, the Packers decided to bring him in, because the defensive tackle depth has become a real concern.

A pedigree that hasn’t translated

Smith entered the league as a high-end prospect, but he hasn’t been successful in the NFL so far. In his two full seasons with the Cowboys, he generated eight pressures in both 2023 and 2024. That’s fairly decent pass rush production for a rotational interior player.

The big problem was run defense. Smith posted poor performances against the run in Dallas, and that deficiency has followed him throughout his career.

His time with the Dolphins didn’t offer much new information either. He played only nine defensive snaps in one game, the Week 4 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. He didn’t generate any pressures and had little impact in that game.

For the most part, Smith lines up in the B-gap, but he can also align as a nose tackle in the A-gap. He took on a lot of nose tackle snaps for the Cowboys in 2024, his second season.

Despite the early struggles, the Packers believe the 6-foot-3, 337-pound defensive tackle can still develop. The hope is for Smith to become a rotational piece in Green Bay, and at only 25 years old, there’s still time for that to happen.

Green Bay needed bodies at defensive tackle

The Packers searching for help at this spot isn’t much of a surprise. They started the season with seven defensive tackles on the 53-man roster, a number that looked like a comfortable cushion at the time.

Since then, the injuries piled up. Warren Brinson and Jonathan Ford both went on injured reserve. They are expected to potentially return down the stretch of the season. Javon Hargrave, meanwhile, is out for the season with an Achilles rupture.

Jordon Riley started the season on the PUP list after rupturing his Achilles late last season. He’s been designed for return and is expected to come back at some point fairly soon.

At this exact moment, though, Green Bay has only four defensive tackles on the 53-man roster: Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks, Chris McClellan, and Anthony Campbell. David Blay Jr. is also on the practice squad. The Packers have been looking for options, and Smith can be that extra body with a high pedigree.

Low cost, some upside

The risk here is minimal. A practice squad signing doesn’t require a significant investment, and it gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate Smith up close before deciding whether he deserves a spot on the active roster or at least of being elevated at some point.

The gap between his college reputation and his NFL production is obvious. Smith was a good prospect, and he hasn’t been that good as a pro. But the Packers are betting that, under the correct circumstances and with a defined role, he can develop into a useful piece on a defensive line that needs reinforcements.