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Odds Lions Land DT Maurice Hurst on Waivers

The Las Vegas Raiders have waived defensive tackle Maurice Hurst.

John Maakaron

The Las Vegas Raiders have released a pair of defensive linemen who were drafted back in 2018, the season Jon Gruden returned for his second stint with the organization. 

The team announced on Thursday that it has released defensive tackle Maurice Hurst and defensive end Arden Key, along with quarterback Kyle Sloter. 

Hurst was a fifth-round pick out of Michigan in 2018. 

He started 17 games, and recorded 76 tackles, eight sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries in his first three seasons in the league.

Hurst was an elite defensive tackle while in college, but a heart condition that was found in his pre-draft medical checks forced his draft stock to plummet. 

The waiver priority is currently the same as the original draft order prior to trades, which places six NFL teams ahead of Detroit for the purposes of claiming Arden or Hurst.

Detroit will have to hope that teams like the Jets and the Bengals do not put in a claim, if the team intends on acquiring, either.

Pairing Hurst and newly acquired Michael Brockers would be quite intriguing for a defensive line in need of a new identity. 

Last season, Detroit's defense simply did not pressure the quarterback, and opponents were able to rack up significant yards on the ground and in the passing game. 

While it is intriguing to want a familiar player to return to Motown, there may be some concerns regarding his health and his ability to stop the run -- which were concerns that arose with his now former team.

With all of that being known, I put the odds of Hurst landing in Motown at 35 percent.

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John Maakaron
JOHN MAAKARON

John Maakaron has covered Detroit Sports since 2013. Brings a vast array of experience covering the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans, Detroit Mercy Titans, and Oakland University Golden Grizzlies. John brings a wealth of sports broadcast experience. In 2013, John had the vision to establish the Detroit Sports Podcast Network. Has recorded over 3000 podcasts analyzing Detroit Sports. In 2019, Sports Illustrated Media Group, a historical sports media outlet, partnered with Detroit Sports Podcast to provide daily Lions content for their growing and expanding digital media outlet. Our Lions content can also be read in the newspaper at The Oakland  Passionate about Detroit Sports and it is reflected in his coverage of the local teams!

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