The Dallas Cowboys face a decision about the future of a former first-round pick. For the second straight week, Mazi Smith was among the team’s inactive players during the team’s win over the New York Giants.
It might be time for the Cowboys to explore a change of scenery for Smith, but it is hard to imagine the former first rounder has a sizable trade market. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox has Smith among his top 10 players on the NFL trade block.
The analyst labels the Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers as the top landing spots for Smith. Let’s explore what a potential Cowboys-Lions trade could look like for the former No. 26 pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
Cowboys Rumors: Could the Lions Be a Trade Partner for Mazi Smith?
Bleacher Report estimates that Smith’s trade value is a 2026 conditional sixth-round pick. Given these projections, a hypothetical trade pitch has the Cowboys net a sixth rounder while the Lions acquire Smith.
Detroit would be banking on the idea that Smith still has upside that could be unlocked by a change of scenery. Smith is just one season removed from starting all 17 games for Dallas in 2024. It would be a low-risk move for Detroit.
“With Kenny Clark now manning the middle of their defense, the Cowboys appear to have little interest in letting Smith learn on the field,” Knox wrote in a September 10, 2025, story titled, “2025 NFL Trade Block Big Board Entering Week 2.” “This means he can probably be had for pennies on the dollar.
“Smith was viewed as a raw prospect coming out of college and was always expected to need time to develop. He’s still a 6’3″, 337-pound former first-round pick with a tremendous amount of untapped potential. A change of scenery might be required for him to reach it,” Knox added.
“If Dallas doesn’t want to be patient with him, it’ll likely take any reasonable offer it can get.”
The Cowboys Want to See Consistency From Mazi Smith for the Former 1st Rounder to Earn Snaps
Smith’s four-year, $13.2 million rookie contract is slated to run through 2026. The addition of Kenny Clark may make Smith’s days in Dallas numbered, but it remains to be seen if the Cowboys can get anything in return for the defensive tackle.
Had Smith panned out as expected, acquiring a defensive tackle for Micah Parsons would not have been as much of a priority for the Cowboys front office. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus pointed to consistency as Smith’s main issue that is keeping him from getting snaps.
“Just consistency,” Eberflus said of Smith, per The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “He’s done that, just at a more consistent level. That’s really it.
“That’s been our message to him throughout the building. He’s improving on that, for sure.”
Mazi Smith on Lack of Playing Time With Cowboys: ‘I’m Just Trying to Do What’s Best for the Team’
Putting Smith alongside Lions star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson could only help the former highly touted prospect’s production. Smith is attempting to maintain a positive attitude despite falling out of the Cowboys rotation.
“I’m just trying to do what’s best for the team and listen to my coaches and do exactly what they say, whether I’m playing or not,” Smith noted, per The Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins.
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