Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Mazi Smith didn’t make the trip with the team for their second preseason game due to an allergic reaction, the team has confirmed.
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Mike Garafolo from NFL Network provided an update on Twitter/X, stating, “Mazi Smith experienced an allergic reaction this afternoon at training camp, preventing him from traveling to Las Vegas. He’s received treatment and will be reevaluated in the morning, with updates on his game status to follow.”
The Cowboys are set to face the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday night. Following the announcement of Smith’s medical issue at the practice facility in Oxnard, California, there remains a possibility for him to join the team later.
Smith, 23, was the 26th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, hailing from the University of Michigan where he earned First-team All-Big Ten honors in his senior year.
His rookie season in Dallas was fairly quiet. Starting only three games but participating in all 17, he recorded 13 tackles, three tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, and one sack.
Smith contributed to the Cowboys’ NFC East win and the No. 2 seed in the NFC, although the season came to an early end with a Wild Card loss to the Green Bay Packers at home, 48-32.
Now looking ahead, Smith is gearing up for his second NFL season and is expected to play a key role. New defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has plans to adjust Smith’s role, shifting him from a 3-technique position to focus more on blocks within the new defensive scheme.
Zimmer noted, “He lost a lot of weight when he got here, trying to be a more aggressive 3-technique. We’re going to tweak that approach and help the linebackers know where they fit.” This strategy aligns more with what Smith excelled at in college.
Anticipation is high for Smith as he aims to establish himself once the regular season kicks off in under three weeks.
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