OXNARD, Calif. — Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Mazie Smith returned to the practice field on Monday after missing the team’s preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders because of an allergic reaction.
Smith was preparing to board the team bus to head to Los Angeles International Airport when he began feeling ill.
“I started having reactions right away, so I went right to the medical staff and told them what was going on and that I understood how it felt,” Smith said. “I knew what was going on.”
Smith said he’s had a similar reaction before, the last time it happened before the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, and that while he’s been careful with what he eats, this reaction was due to a substance in the milk.
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“We know what to do if you have an allergic reaction,” Smith said, “especially if it’s radio waves related. You don’t want to panic right away. You want to make sure you’re not having any problems breathing or anything like that, and get the appropriate treatment.”
Smith was hospitalized for some time on Friday and missed the game against the Raiders. He said he plans to take part in final padded practices on Tuesday and Wednesday in Oxnard, California.
He did a series of post-practice sprints on Monday with Micah Parsons and Osa Odighizuwa.
“It’s business as usual,” Smith said.
Monday also saw the first practice session for new defensive linemen Jordan Phillips and Carl Lawson.
Phillips played against the Raiders despite not being able to practice a full session with the Cowboys after being traded from the New York Giants last week. He participated in 10 snaps and recorded one tackle.
He’s expected to play as a three-technique in Mike Zimmer’s defense, even though he’s the biggest defensive tackle on the team at 341 pounds.
“I don’t care about stats. Everybody looks at the stats and thinks they had a great game, but to me, as long as a linebacker gets All-Pro or Pro Bowl selection, I did my job that year,” Phillips said. “They didn’t do it on their own. I held them off and I got sacks and tackles along the way.”
Lawson officially signed his contract and participated in a walk-through on Monday. He practiced with the Cowboys after Sam Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury during the first week of camp, but the team signed Shaka Toney and Al-Quadin Muhammad. Lawson said he had other opportunities but was happy to be reunited with run-game coordinator Paul Guenther, who coached him with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Lawson appeared in just six games last year for the New York Jets, failing to record a sack due to a back injury, and the Jets waived him during the offseason.
Lawson, 29, said he has “a lot” left in him.
“Honestly, I feel like I’m a young player because I feel like I haven’t played to my potential because of injuries or circumstances or the teams I was on that didn’t perform well, whether it was the quarterback being hurt or the offense being down,” Lawson said. “So, I was a very effective pass rusher in this league, but I was playing on losing teams, and now I’m finally healthy and I have a chance to be on a team that can dominate games and really showcase my abilities, I’m excited.”
