Mazi Smith’s time with the Dallas Cowboys may be coming to an end. NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Dallas is open to moving on from Smith before Tuesday’s trade deadline. Dallas also appears to be open to trading 2023 first-round DT Mazi Smith, who has only played in five games this season. This is the […] Mazi Smith’s time with the Dallas Cowboys may be coming to an end. NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Dallas is open to moving on from Smith before Tuesday’s trade deadline. Dallas also appears to be open to trading 2023 first-round DT Mazi Smith, who has only played in five games this season. This is the first time the team has been mentioned as potentially moving on from Smith. Coming out of training camp, Smith was on the brink of being released after preseason standout Perrion Winfrey came on strong to finish the summer. The Cowboys also picked Jay Toia in the draft, who they were high on as a developmental player at the one-tech position. Smith has never been able to live up to his draft status or the hype around him after being named Bruce Feldman’s Freakiest Athlete in college football. Three defensive coordinators later, the defensive tackle’s most productive season came under Mike Zimmer and defensive line coach Jeff Zgonina. Even his brightest moments were few and far between. If the Cowboys don’t find a trade partner before the deadline on Tuesday, Dallas might decide it’s best for both parties to move in a different direction and Dallas outright releases him. If this is the end for Smith in a Cowboys uniform, it’ll be the first time since Taco Charlton that Dallas has cut a first-round pick without finishing their rookie contract (trading Micah Parsons isn’t the same thing). See More: Dallas Cowboys Rumors

The Dallas Cowboys will host the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night in what many are touting as a must-win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Not only are they desperate to get back in the win column, but this team has never lost to a team with a losing record this season, so falling short […] The Dallas Cowboys will host the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night in what many are touting as a must-win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Not only are they desperate to get back in the win column, but this team has never lost to a team with a losing record this season, so falling short would be a huge backbreaker for them. Beating the Cardinals hasn’t been easy for the Cowboys over the last couple of decades, as they have lost seven of their last eight contests against them, including each of the last three. Dallas must buck this trend and come away with a nice primetime win if they are to keep their playoff hopes alive. Here are five things to watch when the Cowboys face the Cardinals under the lights. 1. Please, no career Knight for Bam Whenever we look at a new opponent, we immediately assess the strength of their running game. That’s because the Cowboys’ defense has given up some whoppers on the ground this season. Running backs have feasted on this defense, and the Cowboys have surrendered at least 120 scrimmage yards to a running back in four of their last five games: J.K. Dobbins = 121 yards Rico Dowdle = 239 yards Breece Hall = 155 yards Josh Jacobs = 157 yards The Cardinals have dealt with injuries to their backs this year. James Conner suffered a season-ending foot injury in Week 3. Then, a week later, backup Trey Benson hurt his knee and went on injured reserve. They relied on Michael Carter for a couple of weeks, but he was just recently cut, leaving the running back duties solely in the hands of Zonovan “Bam” Knight. The undrafted running back is only averaging 3.5 yards per game this year and has yet to eclipse 60 yards rushing in a game. However, nothing provides a jolt like the Cowboys’ swiss cheese run defense. Unless we see a big improvement, the Cards’ young back could be in for a career night. 2. Murray, Brissett, no matter The Cardinals were hoping to get their starting quarterback, Kyler Murray, back after missing the last two games with a foot injury. The seven-year veteran has been okay. Nothing spectacular and nothing terrible. His numbers are down a bit as he’s averaging under 200 yards passing per game for the first time in his career. Murray has had success against the Cowboys in his career, with a perfect 2-0 record, throwing four touchdowns without a single pick. Murray is not quite ready to go, meaning the team will lean on 10-year veteran Jacoby Brissett, who has given the Cardinals a chance to win in each of the last two games against tough opponents. Brissett is averaging 300 yards per game in his two starts this season, where he’s thrown four touchdowns and just one pick. It doesn’t feel like it should make much difference which quarterback suits up, Murray, Brissett, 6-7. Either is capable of punishing the Cowboys’ defense if they play well. Their mobility and propensity to extend plays can cause problems for the Cowboys’ secondary. The last time these two teams squared off was two years ago when backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs used his legs to get the better of them. Whatever fear or lack thereof you had for Murray should also exist with Brissett. 3. There’s no place like home Up to this point in the season, the Cowboys have only played three games at home compared to five on the road. They have yet to lose at home (although they did tie Green Bay) and have scored at least 40 points in every game at AT&T Stadium this year. Additionally, Dak Prescott loves his home turf, as his numbers are noticeably different: At home: 74% completion rate, 315 yards per game, 3.0 touchdowns per game, 0.8% interception rate On the road: 68% completion rate, 225 yards per game, 1.6 touchdowns per game, 2.4% interception rate It’s not that Prescott is bad on the road; he’s just been on fire in front of his home crowd. The Cowboys’ offense will look to get back on track after an underwhelming performance against the Broncos last week. Arizona’s pass defense is in the bottom-10 and surrenders the same amount of yards per game as the New York Giants, who, up until now, have allowed the most total yards and first downs to the Cowboys this season. Hopefully, another offensive explosion is coming. 4. Keep Harrison Jr. in check The offense of the Cardinals is not littered with playmakers, but they do have two very talented pass catchers who the Cowboys’ defense will need to be mindful of – Trey McBride and Marvin Harrison Jr. McBride is a tough cover, and he’s going to get his. He leads the team in targets, catches, yards, and touchdowns. But at 60 yards a game, that’s something they should be able to live with as long as he doesn’t go off. The bigger threat could be second-year receiver Harrison Jr., who has the talent to hurt them big and hurt them often. The Cowboys’ defense hasn’t fared well against some of the league’s top WR prospects in recent years. In fact, they have faced six wide receivers who have been selected in the top 10 over the last four drafts. All six of those receivers have scored a touchdown the last time they faced the Cowboys, including all three they have faced this season: Malik Nabers (2 TDs), Tetairoa McMillan (2 TDs), and Romeo Odunze (1 TD). Harrison Jr. has yet to have a 100-yard game this season, and he only has one two-touchdown game

Jacoby Brissett Sends Clear Message Ahead of Monday Night Football – Donnie Druin, SI.com Starting as the Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback Monday against the Dallas Cowboys, Jacoby Brissett has a clear perspective on the upcoming game.  ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals are set to play in front of millions under the bright lights of Monday Night […] Starting as the Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback Monday against the Dallas Cowboys, Jacoby Brissett has a clear perspective on the upcoming game. ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals are set to play in front of millions under the bright lights of Monday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9. Typically, primetime is a game many players look forward to and embrace. For Jacoby Brissett – it’s just another game. “It’s the NFL. Every game is a big stage. You grow up as a kid dreaming of playing. I don’t care if it’s Monday, Thursday, Saturday, Friday – so this is obviously another game and I’m thankful for this opportunity. Going out there and trying my best and make the most of it,” Brissett told reporters at his locker on Saturday. “I could care less who’s watching, I just want to go win.” Jacoby Brissett Prepares for Third Cardinals Start Brissett will be plugged into Arizona’s starting position for a third time with Kyler Murray still not healthy enough to play with a mid-foot sprain. Brissett was signed to a two-year contract this past offseason to provide a veteran presence if Murray were to miss time. He’s done exactly that for the Cardinals, though the unknown of what each individual week will bring as either a starter or backup does admittedly weigh a bit on Brissett. “Oh, for sure. I mean, that’s part of it. You kind of know that going into the situation that you’re in based on the start of the year. But, I try not to let that really affect me too much. But definitely it gets it’s a little redundant,” he admitted to reporters. Under Brissett’s guidance, the Cardinals’ offense has reached new heights both in terms of statistics and the eye-test. However, Brissett isn’t putting any stock into their past performances considering he’s 0-2 as a starter in Arizona. The Cardinals are hoping to snap a five-game losing streak in Dallas. “That’s the past, and obviously we’ve been close on a lot of these but just finding ways to, like coach [Jonathan Gannon] said, close those margins and get over the hump. We’re right there,” said Brissett.“But when you look at the film and you see plays in critical situations where we know that we can close the gap, I think that’s one of the things that we’re looking forward to doing this week.” It’s never too early to plan for the future. The Dallas faithful should be prepared for a major overhaul of their defense this offseason. We will likely see new faces at every level of the unit, but especially in the Cowboys’ secondary. It’s arguably been the defense’s weakest unit this year, as the group’s two cornerstones, DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs, have either struggled to stay healthy or failed to make their expected high-level impact when on the field. At cornerback, when you look past those two big names and injured rookie Shavon Revel, it is a wide-ranging collection of little-known, borderline NFL players. The Dallas faithful should be prepared for a major overhaul of their defense this offseason. We will likely see new faces at every level of the unit, but especially in the Cowboys’ secondary. It’s arguably been the defense’s weakest unit this year, as the group’s two cornerstones, DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs, have either struggled to stay healthy or failed to make their expected high-level impact when on the field. At cornerback, when you look past those two big names and injured rookie Shavon Revel, it is a wide-ranging collection of little-known, borderline NFL players. The picture at safety isn’t much brighter. Despite their experience, veterans Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson, who will be 30 and 31 by the start of 2026, represent two positions that need a full-scale reset. It will be the end of the road in Dallas for a number of these guys, so let’s look over who should stay and who should go in the Cowboys’ secondary this offseason. Cornerback Shakeup: Former All-Pro, Low-Cost Depth Pieces Out Of Town Who Stays: Caelen Carson, DaRon Bland, Shavon Revel. Who Leaves: Josh Butler, Trevon Diggs, Trikweze Bridges, Kaiir Elam, Reddy Stewart. The group that should stay in Dallas is minimal, and for good reason. Of course, the recently-extended Bland will be back in 2026 as the clear-cut CB1; his new $90M+ price tag cements that. He is joined by two young corners in 2024 draftee Caelen Carson and Revel. Carson, a star at Wake Forest, has yet to show the same skills in the NFL, though you could argue that has had more to do with injuries. Either way, Dallas won’t move on from him so quickly with their massive weakness at the position. Revel is just as obvious as Bland in the keep department: he is young, carries sky-high potential, and was a big investment with the 76th pick. On the leave list, we have an extensive group, headlined by Diggs. The former DPOY candidate is all but done in Dallas; his injuries, performance, and issues with the organization have made that fact very clear. It will also save money to cut him this offseason. Closing gaps, finding them among things Cowboys must do to be successful vs Cardinals -Reid Hanson, Cowboys Wire Clogging the run lanes is one thing Dallas needs to do to beat the Cardinals. At 3-4-1, the Dallas Cowboys need a win in a very bad way. Time is running out on the 2025 season and the 2-5 Arizona Cardinals are a team they absolutely have to take of advantage while at home before the schedule gets tough later into November. Understandably, playoff odds

It’s a tumultuous time for the Dallas Cowboys. They’re not winning enough football games, they don’t appear to be big movers before the trade deadline, and Jerry Jones publicly announced that he cares more about his oil business than he does about fixing the defense of his football team. Yay! Good times. The hits just […] It’s a tumultuous time for the Dallas Cowboys. They’re not winning enough football games, they don’t appear to be big movers before the trade deadline, and Jerry Jones publicly announced that he cares more about his oil business than he does about fixing the defense of his football team. Yay! Good times. The hits just keep coming, and it can put fans in a dark place. With a season that appears to be going nowhere and an owner who, whether by a slip or in jest, announced to everyone where his priorities are, how are fans expected to generate any sense of hope for this football team? It’s easy to want to just check out and invest our energy elsewhere, as this ongoing rollercoaster that is the Cowboys just doesn’t seem worth it anymore. But hold up a second. The Cowboys are an adventure. For as long as I have been alive, that’s never not been true. Everything about them garners attention, and it’s been exponentially exacerbated since Jerry Jones bought the team in 1989. And while it’s easy to fall into this belief that the Cowboys have an incompetent front office that will never amount to anything because they are led by an inept, power-hungry, wealthy old man, we should stop and think about this a little bit before drawing conclusions. Jerry’s recent comments where he indicates he is more concerned about the potential gains of $100 billion worth of new oil than he is about fixing the Cowboys’ defense The oil business is a big deal Jerry is a businessman. We all know this. It’s his success in the oil business that allowed him to buy the Cowboys in the first place. It’s fine that he has other business affairs. Comstock Resources Inc. is a big deal worth over $5 billion. And if they are close to hitting the motherload in Texas, that will unleash an abundance of gas supplies, of course, this oil man is going to be pretty jacked about it. $100 billion is more than seven times the value of the Cowboys, who are the most valuable franchise in the NFL. If Jerry wants to be excited about this, more power to him. Jerry says silly things all the time While Jones’ commitment to Comstock is understandable, was it really necessary to make that comment about fixing the defense? No, it wasn’t, but that’s the Jerry Jones way. There is such a long history of Jones saying silly things that you could fill a book with it. He’s notorious for inserting his foot in his mouth or conjuring up some inappropriate analogies. Jones is just Jones, and that’s never going to change. Now, does that mean we all have to just let it slide? No. Be angry with him if you want. He can be very outlandish, and he arguably deserves all the negative attention his snide comments produce. But while the comments aren’t tactful and lack any remnants of professionalism, they also don’t mean a whole lot. Which brings us to our final point. The Cowboys are unaffected Jerry can make all the comments he wants, but it doesn’t have any bearing on the Cowboys. To an outside observer, if you listened to Jones speak and were told this guy is running the ship of the Cowboys, one might conclude that they are a hot mess. Maybe the worst team in the league? Maybe at least in the bottom five of the last decade or two? Or at the very least, bottom-ten? But that’s not the case. In fact, despite their lack of postseason success, the Cowboys continue to be one of the top 10 teams in the league (based on winning percentage) over the last five, 10, and 20 years. We know the Cowboys have things to figure out if they are ever going to hoist the Lombardi trophy again. And we also know that Jerry Jones is some type of variable that hinders the organization in some fashion. But what we must remember is that the front office as a whole still does a lot of things well, which puts this team in a position to win a high percentage of the time. We all have opinions about Stephen Jones, Will McClay, the coaching staff, etc., but they’re doing something right to field a competitive team more consistently than many of the other teams in the league. Jerry is ultimately a part of the organization, and that’s not going to change in the foreseeable future. But instead of letting it bring us down and sway us into believing this is a crumbling franchise surrounded by ineptness, we should try to appreciate the good things this team has. I couldn’t tell you who the GM is of the Browns, Jaguars, or Jets, but I can tell you that I’ll take the Cowboys over them any day of the week, even if it comes with that Jerry Jones x-factor. All we can hope is that this team can get there despite the presence of Jerry, but we should at least feel good knowing more chances are inevitably coming soon. See More: Dallas Cowboys General