The Raiders decision to release defensive tackle Maurice Hurst was a surprise to many, but the story (and its ramifications on the Raiders) may be getting a little too much mileage in a few NFL circles.
Take, for example, this quote from NFL draft analyst Matt Miller…
“One NFL pro personnel director text me after the Las Vegas Raiders released tackle Maurice Hurst to say: ‘In a historically bad DL class, why would you cut Maurice Hurst?’” Miller wrote on Tuesday in TheDraftScout. “Needless to say, the Raiders’ front office is not highly respected by many others around the league.”
Hurst was the highest-graded defensive player on the Raiders roster last year, but is he that irreplaceable?
There was nothing “needless to say” about Hurst’s three years with the Raiders. He was a solid defensive tackle, but hardly a centerpiece of the defense. And if he was, by chance, a lot better than what the Raiders thought he was, why didn’t anyone pick up Hurst’s rookie contract when he was waived?
If the aforementioned “pro personnel director” liked Hurst so much, why didn’t his team just claim Hurst off waivers?
Needless to say, he probably doesn’t think the Raiders’ decision to unload Hurst was really all that bad in the first place.
twitter: @raidersbeat
And yet he wasn’t claimed on waivers. Not even by the team this anonymous executive works for. Weird that everyone in the league thinks of Hurst as just a replacement level body with availability issues.
So WHERE was this “anonymous” source when no body wanted Hurst and he slid several rounds on his medical reports? WHO does this hidden, hear say “personnel director” work for the Chiefs? WHY then does not the rumored “personnel director” then claim Hurst off waivers then if he is all that then? The only thing anonymous is the writer of this article and sorry some of us can think for ourselves.
It is not surprising there are teams who are Raiders haters who have given no on an opportunity until the Raiders did first. (First African American and Hispanic Head Coach in modern history and female CEO.) People with medical issues and the greatly wounded, like Jim Plunkett, no one wanted to touch such as Hurst and many a last chance players have come to the Raiders historically. Players with addictions and behavior problems have come here and healed, found a supportive environment, redemption and even great success. This makes the Raiders the Raiders, a family owned business that do not belong to the Billionaire boy club, to the Raiders yes people still matter. Are they perfect no, but they are the ultimate underdog with bias officiating and haters at every turn. Yet they continue to stand for, people, players and the R.N. with no quit in their fight.
So I am calling the personal foul on the anonymous hater who “text me after they release Hurst,” come on man, really? I have seen the Raiders win four AFC championships and three World championships in detail. They are a historical flag ship and marquee team that has a lot of work to do in a bottom line business. Mayock and Gruden have a lot of work to do and have to start hitting on their picks and they know it. Understand this the Raiders have always been a team you love or hate.
I am a Captain on this ship and have gone down with many a vessel in this fleet, but will remain among those behind the scenes that have something to do with our next World Championship banner flag, even though that is not going to happen this year.
Raider On………………….
Very well said Westside… The haters will always be haters blasting away at the Raiders at every chance that they get. I personally disagree with the releasing of Mo Hurst but in the end I have no choice but to continue to have faith in the process and see who the next man up happens to be in the eyes of the management choosen to lead the team back into its underdog winning ways which made me a fan many years ago and I will always be a fan til the end of my days on this earth! Go Raiders……. My fingers are crossed that Gus Bradley will be the answer to bringing us at least a top 15 defense!
Exactly.
On the used car lot, the car is all shiny until you look under the hood or pull off the lot.
The more I watch NFL football documentaries, the more I am convinced that most of the executives and coaches are complete morons. It’s why the Bill Walshes and Bill Belichicks of the NFL are so dominant – because most of the coaches they are competing with have only a vague idea of what they are doing.
Well said West Side.
Feels like the bias surrounding the Raiders has only intensified since the old man passed. Case and point – during the start of free agency, the Raiders were heavily criticized as it was rumored we were releasing Trent Brown then G. Jackson and R. Hudson. We later traded those players and the Raiders were accused of leaking the release idea to drum up trade interest. Shortly thereafter, several other teams seemed to employ a similar strategy and it was viewed as strategic.
The hate for the Raiders is real. I’m just not understanding why.
This the last year for me to be a fan of a losing Team.
ANY journalist that quotes an “anonymous” source is lying. IF the source was legitimate, they’d be named. Who cares what a coward that won’t even say what their name is, has to say about another team anyway?
“Anonymous” is a Latin word meaning “Lying reporter”.
Proof of this is….. who claimed Maurice Hurst off of waivers?
Not even this made up source from a factious team signed him.
Why do we keep posting/reading this fourth grader type, anti-Raider crap?
RaidersBeat.com spreads just as much or more false Raider info as anybody else. RaiderBeat.com – STOP being a Raider Hater… there are enough of them in the world already.
I wrote on April 20, 2021 at 9:29 pm
Ok, someone has to say it, so since no one else has, I will. Obviously, DeShaun Watson’s trade value has plummeted since all of the sexual assault allegations have hit the news. I’ve said previously that I have been a Raiders fan since 1968 so with all of that said; Does ANYONE doubt that if Al Davis was alive that he would not make a play for DeShaun Watson? Of course not BECAUSE, Al Davis would immediately recognize DeShaun Watson’s quarterbacking abilities irrespective of his pending legal troubles. Al Davis would also realize that this young man would be motivated to win and most certainly committed and grateful to whatever team believes in him during this “trying time.” Al Davis made a similar unprecedented move by signing Jim Plunkett after the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers gave up on him. Jim Plunkett responded with TWO Super Bowl wins for the Raiders. EVERYONE knows it is a documented fact that Jon Gruden loves quarterbacks. IF the Raiders should make a move for and sign DeShaun Watson, it would be a play right out of the Al Davis School of Football Playbook. What am I saying? That as a long time Raiders fan, since 1968, I recognize an Al Davis moment when I see one. EVERYONE who knows ANYTHING about Al Davis knows that he absolutely LOVED using moments like this to make the NFL and other football franchises eat crow. Just like how he drafted Rocket Ishmael when he signed with the Toronto Argonauts instead of the NFL. Just like how he drafted and signed Bo Jackson after Jackson declined to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the year before. So, it would only be fitting, in Al Davis and Raiders fashion, to sign DeShaun Watson, for considerably much less than he would have cost just a few short weeks ago and watch as the NFL and other NFL teams squirm, bite their nails and mumble under their breaths about how the spirit of Al Davis, and the once glorious Raiders mystique, has returned, just in the nick of time, to this once proud franchise by making one of the shrewdest football moves ever. May the spirit of Al Davis rise and live once again.