Dallas Cowboys Seek Trade for First-Round Bust Mazi Smith with Seahawks

Multiple NFL teams, including the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, and New York Giants, are navigating roster decisions involving former first-round draft picks who have underperformed. The Dallas Cowboys are considering trading defensive tackle Mazi Smith, a 2023 first-round pick who has struggled, to the Seahawks in exchange for mid-to-late round draft picks; this move is partly motivated by Smith's poor fit in Dallas' defensive scheme and the Seahawks' need due to an injured player. Seattle's head coach Mike Macdonald previously coached Smith at Michigan and might be able to help him rebound. Meanwhile, the New York Giants are reportedly willing to trade former first-round offensive lineman Evan Neal for minimal draft compensation after Neal failed to secure a starting role and was replaced by other players. These moves reflect teams' willingness to cut losses on high draft picks who haven't met expectations, aiming to optimize their rosters ahead of the 2025 NFL season. The Cowboys, Seahawks, and Giants are all making strategic decisions to balance salary cap considerations and player potential in their rebuilding efforts.