A week after getting cut by the Raiders, Maurice Hurst has found a new home. The defensive lineman is signing with the 49ers, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter).
[RELATED: Raiders Cut Arden Key, Maurice Hurst]
The All-American out of Michigan was a potential first-round pick heading into the 2018 draft, but a heart condition caused him to fall to the fifth round. The Raiders scooped him up, and the defensive tackle was an immediate return on investment. Hurst started 10 of his 13 games as a rookie, finishing with 31 tackles and four sacks.
Unfortunately, those numbers still stand as career highs. Hurst found himself mostly playing in a backup role in 2019, and this culminated in him appearing in a career-low 23-percent of his team’s defensive snaps in 2020. With the Raiders having already added linemen Yannick Ngakoue and Quinton Jefferson this offseason, the team decided to move on from the 25-year-old earlier this month.
Hurst was cut alongside Arden Key, who was coincidentally picked up by the 49ers yesterday. Hurst still possesses some upside (eight sacks, 17 QB hits in three seasons), and that makes him a low-risk, high-reward signing for the 49ers.
Still salty about this guy. Wish they didn’t cut him
He was a liability on the field. He couldn’t get any pressure, couldn’t stop the run, and he’s a below average player. He’s a rotational player and that’s all he will ever be.
So the second shoe finally falls for the Josh Rosen trade. Arizona took Josh and gave up the 3rd and the 5th round pick.
The 3rd round pick was traded to Steelers for Martavis Bryant and the 5th was used for Maurice Hurst.
“Our research is better than yours!” Just made me think of the goofy dudes on Sportscenter these days
His PFF annual grade has improved every year from 70.1 to 73.1 and 77.9.