Dallas Cowboys: Maurice Hurst could be enormous force on defense

Maurice Hurst recently hit the free agent market following his shocking release but the Dallas Cowboys should take advantage of that. 

Signing quarterback Dak Prescott to a long-term contract (finally) was the biggest order of business for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason. They got that done but have also been smart in how they’ve operated with a limited budget in free agency elsewhere.

Additions of Keanu Neal, Damontae Kazee, Brent Urban, Tarrell Basham and more have helped bolster the depth on the Cowboys defense. In fact, you could argue that Neal and Kazee are impactful starters on budget deals that will help new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn fully implement a successful vision. But newly available Maurice Hurst could do that too.

Hurst was recently cut by the Raiders in a move that shocked just about everyone. The Michigan product was a first-round talent in the 2018 draft class who fell into the fifth due to concerns over a heart issue discovered at the NFL Combine. But he turned out to be an NFL Draft steal as he stayed healthy and was a viable force on the interior defensive line — making his release that much more shocking.

You could make the argument that Las Vegas made a real mistake letting Hurst go. However, the Cowboys should not be too proud to take advantage of that error and sign the defensive tackle as they currently have $2.815 million in effective cap space available, per Over the Cap, but could create more room by restructuring a number of contracts on the books.

The Dallas Cowboys need a disruptive presence that Maurice Hurst could bring.

While there is hope for the upside of 2020 third-round pick Neville Gallimore and 2019 second-round pick Trysten Hill, the defensive tackle room in Dallas is a bit thin. There is nice veteran depth and, assuming the Cowboys can bring an edge rusher in via the draft, they should be able to get by in the trenches. However, they lack a player who can be an individual difference-maker as an interior pass-rusher.

Maurice Hurst has proven to be that player through three years with the Raiders. He’s graded out as a top 30 player in the position in each of the last two years according to PFF (subscription required), including grading out as the 19th-best player in the 2020 season. Moreover, Hurst graded as the 12th-best pass-rusher among interior defensive lineman last season.

Put simply, Hurst is built to be a penetrating 3-technique defensive tackle. He has the innate ability to affect the passing game by getting up the gut and into the quarterback’s face. Pairing that with a player like DeMarcus Lawrence and an incoming young player on the edge would make a massive impact on the Cowboys defense.

Making the money work and convincing Hurst to play in Dallas shouldn’t be difficult to come by. The allure of the franchise and the talent of the offense are obvious. Frankly, the Cowboys would be making a clear mistake if they aren’t making a strong pursuit of the defensive tackle while he’s on the market.