Another 'Smart' Move By Jets Leaves Fan Favorite DT Unemployed
Defensive tackle Tanzel Smart is making what seems like a weekly trip across the transaction wire.
The New York Jets released Smart from their 53-man roster on Monday for the second time this month. Since missing final cuts at the conclusion of training camp, the 29-year-old veteran has been involved in eight different transactions that include three different stints on the Practice Squad.
Signed to the active roster on October 31, Smart proceeded to appear in back-to-back games against the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders. Needing a spot to accommodate a successful waiver claim on offensive tackle Austin Deculus, the Jets dropped Smart on November 14. They re-added the fan favorite to the Practice Squad on November 15 before returning him to the active roster in time for the Week 11 road trip to Buffalo.
Smart played 24 percent of the team's defensive snaps in the 32-6 setback to the Bills. In his fourth season with the Jets' organization, the 2017 sixth-round draft pick has made three appearances. He has recorded one tackle over 46 snaps on defense.
Having spent much of the past 3.5 seasons as a Jets' P-Squad player, Smart was well received during his appearances on HBO's Hard Knocks this past summer. The undersized defensive tackle was shown battling in an underdog role and quickly became a fan favorite amongst the viewing audience.
The Jets lost defensive tackle Al Woods to a season-ending Achilles rupture last month and currently carry only three true interior linemen on the roster — Quinnen Williams, Quinton Jefferson and Solomon Thomas. Gang Green recently added 2022 fourth-round draft pick Perrion Winfrey to the Practice Squad following the defensive tackle's release from the Cleveland Browns.
After surrendering a season-high 32 points to the Bills in Week 11, the Jets (4-6) return home to host the Miami Dolphins (7-3) in the first-ever NFL Black Friday Game on November 24.
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