The Washington Commanders are getting down to their initial 53-man roster, and that means Adam Peters and Dan Quinn will be scanning the waiver wire for help where they can find it. But if one familiar name pops up, the Commanders ought to steer clear.
The name is Mazi Smith.
According to reports, the New York Jets have waived the defensive lineman after a short and disappointing run with the team. Smith was included in the trade package that sent Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys, but he never made much of an impact in New York.
That creates an obvious link to Quinn, who was Dallas’ defensive coordinator when Smith went No. 26 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Quinn gave him plenty of chances as a rookie, but Smith’s inconsistency and effort never really matched the draft slot. Even after Quinn moved on, the results didn’t improve, and the Jets were reportedly signing players off the street instead of playing him down the stretch of 2025.
Washington does have a reason to look at the trenches. Johnny Newton, the Commanders’ 2024 second-round pick, is out with a torn pectoral muscle, and the team could use another reliable body inside. In Daronte Jones’ 3-4 scheme, depth behind Daron Payne, Javon Kinlaw, and Tim Settle Jr. matters, especially with Charles Omenihu, Ricky Barber, Shy Tuttle, and Maurice Hurst II currently in the mix.
Still, Smith shouldn’t be the answer.
Quinn has always been known for backing his players, but this is one case where loyalty shouldn’t cloud the decision. The Michigan product’s career has become a reminder that draft position only matters if the player is willing to build on it. And in this case, the production just hasn’t followed.
If Peters decides more help is needed, there should be better options than Smith. The risk is too high, and the payoff too uncertain.
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Boogie Basham and D.J. Johnson were among the linebackers let go, while Joshuah Bledsoe and Qwuantrezz Knight came off the safety depth chart. All four have NFL experience, which makes these decisions more than routine housekeeping, and it suggests Washington is willing to keep moving on from veterans if the staff believes younger or more versatile options are better fits as the cuts continue. [Read more 🡒]