New York’s release of former first-round pick Mazi Smith improves the optics of Dallas’ costly trade for star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.

The Mazi Smith chapter of the Dallas Cowboys’ 2023 draft officially looks worse—and the Quinnen Williams trade suddenly looks a little better.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday that the New York Jets are releasing Smith as they trim their roster to 53 players. The former Cowboys defensive tackle was included in last November’s blockbuster deal that sent Williams to Dallas.

Smith’s release matters in Dallas because it removes one piece of New York’s return before he ever established himself with the Jets. The Cowboys sent Smith, a 2026 second-round pick and the better of their two 2027 first-round selections to New York for Williams.

That remains an expensive package, so this isn’t the moment to declare a landslide victory. But the player Dallas surrendered has now failed to survive even one full offseason with his new team.

Dallas selected Smith No. 26 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, hoping the 6-foot-3, 337-pound Michigan product would become a powerful answer to its chronic run-defense problems. Instead, he produced only 57 tackles, seven tackles for loss and two sacks across 39 games for the Cowboys. His role had already deteriorated before the trade, with Smith bouncing between the active lineup and inactive list during the 2025 season.

New York offered him a fresh start, but he couldn’t convert it into a roster spot. Smith played 61 snaps during the preseason, yet the Jets decided to move on rather than carry him into the regular season.

Meanwhile, Williams has become a cornerstone of Dallas’ rebuilt defense. In seven games following the trade, the three-time Pro Bowler recorded 21 tackles, three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and an interception. The Cowboys reinforced their commitment this month by signing Williams to a three-year, $105.9 million extension.

The trade’s final verdict still depends heavily on what New York does with those premium draft picks—especially the 2027 first-rounder. Williams must perform like an elite interior defender for Dallas to justify that cost.

Still, Sunday’s news changes the optics. Smith was once supposed to solve the Cowboys’ problems in the middle. Now he’s looking for his third NFL opportunity, while Dallas has replaced potential with proven production.

For Jerry Jones and the Cowboys, that’s one part of the gamble already trending in the right direction.