There is a lot of excitement and optimism coming out of training camp with the Dallas Cowboys. The team is confident that they are among the very best teams in the NFC heading into the 2023 season and are eager to show that off.
Loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, the Cowboys are looking to win double-digit games in the regular season for a third straight season, something that hasn’t been accomplished since their dynasty days in the 90s. To accomplish that, they know that there are a few areas that need to be cleaned up.
On offense, Dak Prescott needs to cut down on his turnovers. It has been a topic of discussion throughout the offseason and he has made a bold guarantee about lowering the number of interceptions that he throws during the season.
Defensively, the Cowboys have to get things figured out when it comes to their run defense. They couldn’t stop their opponents on the ground last season, ranking 22nd in rushing yards allowed.
One player that they believe will help them out in that regard is first-round pick, defensive tackle Mazi Smith. The Cowboys selected the Michigan product 26th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft hoping to find a complement to Osa Odighizuwa.
Last season, Odighizuwa was the only serviceable defensive tackle that the Cowboys had. Smith is expected to help fill that void if he can get on the field. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network offered up a brutal injury update on him.
Smith is set to undergo a precautionary MRI of his knee. He has been dealing with tendonitis during training camp and the team wants to make sure that there isn’t anything else wrong going on.
This is a tough break for the Cowboys and Smith. First-round picks are under a lot of pressure to help contribute in Year 1 and Smith could be behind the eight-ball right out of the gate. Adjusting to playing in the NFL is hard enough when you are getting all of the reps available to you; imagine the difficulty when you are forced to sit on the sidelines during your first year.
This will be something to keep an eye on as training camp rolls around. The Cowboys are deep along the defensive line, as they have been mentioned in trade rumors ahead of cutdown days. But, those plans could change if Smith is forced to miss any time because of his knee injury.
