49ers roster: 5 players who are playing themselves off the team
By Peter Panacy
No. 4: 49ers Defensive Tackle Maurice Hurst
In a similar fashion, reserve defensive tackle Maurice Hurst is facing a situation where San Francisco could easily make him a cast-off, too.
Albeit for different reasons.
Hurst, a training camp standout who was looking like he’d be a key member of the defensive line rotation, has dealt with all kinds of injuries this year and has managed to find his way into just two games this year, Weeks 4 and 5, where he’s appeared on just 41 defensive snaps.
The 49ers could have turned to Hurst more frequently in the wake of losing second-year defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw to a season-ending knee injury. But with Hurst also dealing with his own injury setbacks, the Niners have instead looked towards fellow defensive tackles like Kentavius Street and Kevin Givens to fill the void, in addition to rotating defensive end Arik Armstead inside.
Like Travis Benjamin, San Francisco can move on from Hurst with little financial ramifications, a lone dead-cap hit of just $125,000. And if he’s not playing much anyway, it might be a better solution to onboard a player who can at least be available on game day.