Green Bay’s defensive line situation is looking absolutely dire, and it just got a potential lifeline with the news that they worked out former first-round pick Mazi Smith on Monday. This ain’t some casual look, folks, this is a team desperate for bodies on the interior of their defense, staring down a player who could immediately help fill a massive void.
Mazi Smith’s Rollercoaster Ride Through the NFL
Mazi Smith’s journey since being drafted 26th overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2023 draft has been wild. He’s played in 43 NFL games, starting 20 of them, but it’s been a rapid-fire tour of the league. Remember when he got pushed out of his starting nose tackle spot in Dallas because the Cowboys traded for former Packer Kenny Clark in the Micah Parsons deal? Talk about a tough break early in a career. Then, in November of 2025, he was shipped off to the New York Jets as part of Dallas’s trade for defensive lineman Quinnen Williams. New team, fresh start? Not really. The Jets decided to decline his fifth-year option last offseason and then cut him loose at the cutdown deadline. He ended up signing with the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad for the 2026 season, even playing one game for them this year, but then Miami released him just last week. The guy’s been through it, but he’s still a former first-round talent floating around as an immediate free agent option.
Green Bay’s Defensive Line Nightmare is Real
You want to know why the Packers are so keen on Smith? Look at their defensive line. They entered the regular season with “plenty of bodies” but somehow, heading into Week 7, they are “particularly thin.” It’s a full-blown nightmare unfolding in front of us. Nazir Stackhouse, claimed off waivers by the Tennessee Titans. Jaden Crumedy, their *first* practice squad lineman, poached by the Houston Texans in-season. And get this: Javon Hargrave, Jonathan Ford, and Warren Brinson? All on the injured reserve list. The only sniff of good news is Jordon Riley, who tore his Achilles in 2025, is actually practicing with the team despite still being on the physically unable to perform list. They’re sitting at a 51-man active roster even after running back Josh Jacobs got activated from the commissioner exempt list on Monday, which means they’ve got two roster spots to play with. But their 17-man practice squad is maxed out, so if Smith is signed there, someone’s getting bumped.
The Dire Crunch in the Trenches
Right now, the Packers have just four interior defensive linemen on their active roster: Karl Brooks, Devonte Wyatt, Chris McClellan, and Anthony Campbell. For a team running a 3-4 base defense, that’s incredibly light. Their practice squad has just one interior DL, David Blay Jr., who was signed in Week 4 after Crumedy was poached and Eric Johnson II had a short stint. Think about it: every single one of those active roster interior linemen played at least 30 snaps against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. Anthony Campbell, who had only *nine total career NFL snaps* going into that game, was out there for heavy duty! McClellan even stepped in as the starting nose tackle in some 3-4 looks, taking over from the injured Ford. They need help, and they need it yesterday.
So, the question isn’t just if Mazi Smith can still play at a high level; it’s whether the Packers can afford *not* to sign him. Their defensive line is decimated, and a former first-round pick, even one with a bumpy road, could be exactly what they need to stop the bleeding. The team is planning its next move, and you gotta think signing Smith, in some capacity, is high on that list to shore up their depth.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Acme Packing Company.
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