The 49ers Sign Maurice Hurst

The 49ers and the Raiders keep swapping defensive linemen.

First the Raiders signed former 49ers mega-bust defensive tackle Solomon Thomas to a one-year deal. Then the 49ers signed former Raiders defensive end Arden Key to a one year-deal. And now, the 49ers have signed former Raiders defensive tackle Maurice Hurst.

Both Hurst and Key are better than Thomas. Cheaper, too.

Hurst, 25, played college football at Michigan and was the Raiders' fifth-round draft pick. In three seasons with the Raiders, Hurst played 1,271 snaps and recorded 8 sacks. As opposed to Solomon Thomas, who played 1,813 snaps for the 49ers and recorded just 6 sacks.

It makes absolutely no sense why the Raiders signed Thomas -- he consistently was the worst player on the 49ers the past four seasons. No exaggeration. Every player who ever backed him up outplayed him when given the opportunity. That's because Thomas doesn't bend well enough to rush from the edge, and he isn't big or quick enough to rush from the interior. He's useless.

As opposed to Hurst, who's a decent interior rusher -- certainly a better one than Thomas. Maybe a better one than Javon Kinlaw as well. One could argue the 49ers' best interior rushers currently are Arik Armstead, Kevin Givens and Hurst. So Hurst has value.

The 49ers now have an extremely deep defensive line that features Nick Bosa, Samson Ebukam, D.J. Jones, Kentavius Street, Zach Kerr, Jordan Willis, Darrion Daniels, Armstead, Givens, Hurst and Dee Ford, if he ever gets healthy.

The defensive line should carry the defense next season.