Overview
- Green Bay hosted Mazi Smith for a tryout and reported plans to sign him to the practice squad after the workout, according to multiple outlets and reporters on Monday.
- The move responds to a shallow nose‑tackle room after Javon Hargrave suffered a season‑ending Achilles tear and Jonathan Ford was sidelined with a calf problem, leaving just four active defensive linemen on the 53‑man roster.
- Smith was the 26th overall pick in 2023 out of Michigan and has been on three NFL teams since then; he was cut by the Miami Dolphins on Oct. 13 after a brief practice‑squad stint and one game appearance.
- Coaches see Smith as a reclamation project because of his rare size and athletic upside but also long‑standing concerns about technique, inconsistent play and weight fluctuation that have limited his snaps.
- Signing Smith is a low‑risk depth move that creates an immediate elevation candidate under practice‑squad rules and could either buy the Packers time while injured players return or give Smith a chance to earn a more permanent role.