Raiders DT Maurice Hurst put on COVID-19 list

Maurice Hurst has been placed on the COVID-19 list

The Las Vegas Raiders’ new-look defense has been better than the porous unit we’ve seen in past seasons, but it is still a long way from elite outside of a few standout players. Among those gems is defensive tackle Maurice Hurst, who is quietly becoming one of the AFC’s best interior pass rushers. Unfortunately for Jon Gruden and the Raiders, Hurst might miss an extended period of time.

Adam Schefter is reporting that Hurst is being placed on the COVID-19 reserve list. He is the only player on the Raiders currently on that list. While this hasn’t become Titans-esque, this is still disappointing for Las Vegas.

Maurice Hurst has been the best defensive linemen for the Raiders in 2020

Hurst, the son of a former starting cornerback for the New England Patriots, has been rotating on the line with veterans Maliek Collins and Jonathan Hankins, but he has the potential to be much better than all of them. While nine tackles and 0.5 sacks in four games doesn’t sound super impressive, it belies his true ability as a disruptor.

This is a bit concerning for Hurst, a first-round talent from Michigan who fell to the fifth-round in 2018, as he was diagnosed with an unspecified heart condition. If he has indeed tested positive for the virus, this could be problematic given how it attacks the lungs and heart.

Hurst has been the victim of some truly horrid bad luck in his first few years as a professional. Hopefully, Hurst is able to return to action as soon as possible, both so he can play the rest of the season and so the Raiders don’t lose arguably their best defensive lineman in a season that could potentially end up with them in the postseason.