The Jets have spent the past year reshaping their roster through trades, and the common thread has been easy to spot: stockpiling draft capital and looking for young talent that can grow into something more. That approach has already given them the flexibility to chase a long-term quarterback down the line, but it has also led them to take chances on players whose NFL starts haven’t matched the hype.
One of those players is Mazi Smith, the former Dallas Cowboys first-round pick the Jets acquired in a mid-season trade in November that sent All-Pro Quinnen Williams and multiple draft picks to Dallas. Smith arrived with the kind of pedigree that usually buys patience, but his early run in New York has done little to strengthen his standing.
Smith’s time with the Cowboys was uneven enough on its own. He finished with 57 combined tackles and two sacks in 2.5 seasons there, and the expectation was that he would step into a meaningful role on a Jets defensive line that needed help.
Instead, that opportunity never really materialized. He played in just three games, logged 54 snaps, and posted three tackles while earning a 38.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
That’s part of why he’s being viewed as a possible trade piece. The Jets have already added more bodies to the defensive front, with general manager Darren Mougey bringing in T'Vondre Sweat, David Onyemata and rookie Darrell Jackson Jr. to join Harrison Phillips and Jowon Briggs.
Still, Smith is not a clean cut-and-dry case. There’s talent there, even if it hasn’t shown up consistently.
If the Jets can get something back for him, that would make sense. If not, a release feels like the more likely outcome.
For now, though, his age leaves room for patience, especially with the Jets not expected to be a great team this season.
In Other News...
Jets Suddenly Have A Joseph Ossai Concern Before Camp Starts
The Jets made a small but notable camp roster shuffle before the first practices got underway, activating wide receiver Tim Patrick off the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list and placing edge rusher Joseph Ossai on it in the corresponding move. For a team trying to sharpen its depth on both sides of the ball, Ossais status stands out because he is expected to be part of the defensive rotation right away.
SNYs Connor Hughes reported the issue is considered minor and not expected to linger, which should ease the immediate concern. Still, Ossais availability matters for a defense that wants him in the mix as a run-stopping presence and a complementary pass rusher, so the Jets will be watching closely to see how quickly he gets back on the field once camp opens. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Rookies Are Turning Heads While One Young Pick Is Slipping Fast
Training camp has given the Jets a fresh look at a rookie class that is already making noise. First-rounders David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr. have each flashed in ways that matter for a team trying to sort out its depth chart, while the early returns on fourth-round quarterback Cade Klubnik have been more uneven as he competes for the backup job. Even in a camp setting, those kinds of reps can shape how coaches start to view the back end of the roster.
Klubniks path is especially worth watching because the opportunity is real, but so is the margin for error. The Jets have seen enough from the young passer to keep him in the mix, yet the same practices have also shown why nothing is settled behind the starter. For a team leaning on young talent to raise the floor, the next stretch of camp will say a lot about which rookies are truly climbing and which ones still have work to do. [Read more 🡒]
Plaxico Burress Just Took A Brutal Shot At His Jets Stint
Plaxico Burress has never been shy about revisiting the rougher chapters of his career, and his latest comments about his time with the Jets landed with the kind of force that only comes from a player speaking plainly about regret. On The Joint Venture Show, Burress drew a harsh comparison between his stint in New York and his time in prison, a remark that immediately got attention because it cut far deeper than the usual post-career critique of a disappointing season.
The reaction online was quick, with some fans even agreeing that his Jets run never felt like a clean fit. Burress did at least give the team a productive season on paper, but the broader memory he left behind is now being shaped less by catches and touchdowns than by how brutally he chose to describe the experience years later. [Read more 🡒]