Jets Get Smart Back In Building

Veteran defensive tackle lands on Practice Squad for fourth time this season

It's almost like he never left. Defensive tackle Tanzel Smart has returned to the New York Jets, again.

Two days after they released Smart from the 53-man roster, the Jets signed the veteran to the Practice Squad. New York had one open spot on the 16-man unit, choosing to fill it with a familiar face on Wednesday.

Smart's 2023 season has looked something like a pinball machine. The 29-year-old defensive tackle has bounced around between the Jets' 53-man roster, the Practice Squad and the unemployment line. Set for his fourth P-Squad stint this season, Smart has been involved in nine different transactions.

Signed to the active roster on October 31, Smart appeared 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 released 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. It was his third appearance of the regular season.

Smart, who has spent much of the last 3.5 seasons on the Jets' Practice Squad, was well received during his appearances on HBO's Hard Knocks this past summer. The undersized defensive tackle was portrayed as the quintessential underdog and quickly became a fan favorite amongst the viewing audience.

With defensive tackle Al Woods out for the remainder of the season, the Jets have only three interior linemen on their 53-man roster. Smart is one of three defensive tackles on the Practice Squad, joining Marquiss Spencer and recently-acquired Perrion Winfrey.

Jets' Practice Squad (Updated Nov. 22)

CB Kalon Barnes

S Trey Dean

OL Jake Hanson

CB Tae Hayes

DL Jalyn Holmes

CB Craig James

TE Zack Kuntz

LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball

WR Lance McCutcheon

OL Xavier Newman

OL Rodger Saffold 

DT Tanzel Smart

DT Marquiss Spencer

WR Malik Taylor

RB Xazavian Valladay

DT Perrion Winfrey 

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