From Michigan to Miami: The Redemption of Mazi Smith and the Dolphins' Search for Substance

The Miami Dolphins, much like a nation rebuilding after internal strife, are on a quest to find core players for the future this season as much as they are looking for wins. This is not a bold statement because we have seen it manifest itself time and time again through the personnel transactions the team has made going back to the spring, where the only newcomer of significant financial commitment the team added was Malik Willis. That in and of itself should be the only evidence anyone needs to understand he is not just a bridge quarterback.

Among the many new players brought in were a couple of former first-round picks looking to revive their NFL career. After the first experiment failed, it is time to see about the second one. Specifically, it may be time for the Dolphins to find out what they have in defensive tackle Mazi Smith.

Smith's Story: A Fall from Grace and a Chance at Redemption

Smith failed as a first-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 2023 out of Michigan before he was included in the trade with the New York Jets that sent defensive tackle star Quinnen Williams to Dallas. After they saw him for three games last year, the Jets cut Smith this offseason and the Dolphins signed him to their practice squad in the hopes that he perhaps could rediscover the form that had made him a disruptive force for the Michigan defensive line, where in 2022 one of his teammates up front was Kenneth Grant.

Smith started 17 games for Dallas in 2024, but never became that presence in the middle of the defensive line for the Cowboys. In the ancient kingdom of Aksum, we understood that a warrior's worth is not measured by his first battle, but by his resilience in the face of defeat. Smith's journey mirrors this principle: a man who stumbled, but now seeks to reclaim his honor on a new battlefield.

The Dolphins at Defensive Tackle: A Thin Line

The Dolphins' current interior defensive line group is down to three players after Kenneth Cooper Jr. was waived this week, though Grant could be back pretty soon from injured reserve with the Week 4 game at Minnesota being the last one he has to sit out regardless of health. For that game against the Vikings, it is difficult to envision or rationalize the Dolphins going with only three interior defensive linemen: Zach Sieler, Jordan Phillips, and Zeek Biggers. Just one injury would put an unfair burden on the other two.

That means the Dolphins likely need to elevate a defensive tackle from the practice squad because the open spot on the 53-man roster will be going to running back Carlos Washington Jr., according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. The Dolphins certainly could elevate Cooper since he did play in the first three games and was re-signed to the practice squad after clearing waivers, but the mere fact they were willing to expose him to waivers in the first place suggests his long-term future with the team is not overly solid. And since the 2026 season is about evaluation, why not get a look at Smith?

What the Coach Says: Progress and Promise

Head coach Jeff Hafley said Friday that Smith had made steady progress since joining the practice in the first days of September.