The San Francisco 49ers’ defensive options have been narrowed down as defensive tackle Maurice Hurst now finds himself unavailable for selection through injury. This comes as the team seeks to shape up ahead of the new season.
Hurst tore his bicep while participating in his team’s training camp drills on Friday. The tear occurred as he reached out to grab a runner during a sweep jet run-in. Coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that Hurst will require surgery which could see him miss the entirety of the 2022 NFL season.
“We’ll see after surgery. Usually, that’s how biceps work out, but don’t know for sure,” Shanahan stated in an attempt to not jump to conclusions too quickly. Hurst later took to Twitter to express gratitude for the support that he has since received.
With Hurst no longer a part of the 49ers’ short-term plans leading into the new season, the 49ers’ defensive depth has been severely compromised. A day before Hurst’s injury news, Shanahan revealed that Arik Armstead had suffered a sprained right knee, ruling him out of action for a couple of weeks. This is in addition to defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway, who will also be unavailable for a few weeks due to a mild quadriceps strain.
