“Hurst might be more valuable to a team like Chicago,” Ballentine wrote on July 26. “The Bears are trying to build a defensive tackle room with a lot of youth. Hurst could be the veteran who helps players like Gervon Dexter Sr. and Zacch Pickens find their footing in the league.”
Maurice Hurst Trade Pitch Ignores Andrew Billings
Hurst is a compelling trade option for the Bears, at least based on his talent. The 29-year-old bounced back in 2023 with the Browns after missing the entire 2022 season with a torn bicep, playing 13 games in a situational pass rusher role. He finished the season as Pro Football Focus’ 17th-highest-graded interior lineman (81.0) and recorded 1.5 sacks, 18 pressures, 14 defensive stops and an interception on just 302 total snaps.
“Though Hurst saw his season end early with a [pectoral] injury, he was a menace as a situational pass rusher who brought energy and production off the bench,” BrownsWire’s Jacob Roach deduced after Hurst’s re-signing back in May.
The problem with Ballentine’s proposed trade, however, is that the Bears already have a veteran — Andrew Billings — in place to help their young talent “find their footings.”
The Bears signed Billings to a two-year, $8 million contract extension midway through the 2023 season after he brought a spark to their defense as a pass rusher and leader. While it is possible — perhaps even likely — that Billings will play more of a situational role in 2024 behind the team’s emerging youth, there is no reason to think the Bears would trade away a late-round asset to add a similar player to essentially replace him.
Could Bears Add Veteran DT at NFL Trade Deadline?
The Bears did not make game-changing additions to the interior of their defensive line during the 2024 offseason. They signed veteran Byron Cowart for depth and picked up undrafted rookie Keith Randolph Jr. following the 2024 draft, but their strategy as a whole strongly suggests they want to see how their 2023 Day 2 picks improve in 2024.
It is not an unreasonable strategy for the Bears, either. Dexter showed flashes of pass-rushing prowess when he saw an uptick in reps down the stretch of the 2023 season, tallying 2.5 sacks, 12 pressures and six quarterback hurries in his final five games. He also returned for 2024 training camp in excellent shape, drawing praise from star pass rusher Montez Sweat for challenging himself and conditioning with the defensive ends.
Meanwhile, Pickens played considerably less than Dexter in 2024, but he also made a few good impressions, recording eight pressures and nine defensive stops on 263 snaps. If his offseason training pays off, he should compete with Dexter and Billings during training camp for a spot in the Week 1 starting lineup.
Now, the Bears may still decide they need more veteran help for their defensive interior, but it seems likely they will wait until they have allowed their young talent to play some before jumping to any drastic moves. That means the NFL trade deadline on November 5 is probably their best opportunity to improve the position, once they have had the time to properly evaluate how Dexter, Pickens and Billings handle their duties.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles has made at least one trade at each of the past two NFL trade deadlines. Don’t be surprised if he tries to go three-for-three if needs arise.
