Eagles' Vinny Curry needs to be a stand-up guy
The defensive end too often finishes his rushes on the turf.
When the Eagles returned for spring workouts in April, Jim Schwartz met with Vinny Curry. The defensive coordinator spent the offseason studying film of the defensive end - as he does for all his players - and he concluded that Curry finished far too many of his rushes on the ground.
If there had been a quarterback under him, then it wouldn't have been a problem. But it's difficult to register sacks if you can't stay on your feet, and Curry was paid significantly last offseason because he was supposed to excel at dropping quarterbacks.
Curry's lack of sacks last season has been addressed ad nauseam. And Schwartz divulged his evaluation last week, saying that he had no problem speaking publicly about it because he already had a discussion with the end.
But what has yet to be revealed is how Schwartz and the Eagles plan on fixing him. Curry has said that a preseason knee sprain slackened his start and affected him the entire season. But Curry had lost his starting spot long before the injury.
"I'm sure that knee injury affected him," Schwartz said last Tuesday. "But as the year went on, it's really hard to say."
Schwartz, though, seemed to have found a connection between Curry's technique and his injury. To prevent further strain on the knee, the coach has had the end work on specific drills to increase his flexibility.
"He demanded some things that I work on and I've just been working on it, working on it, working on it," Curry said on Monday after organized team activities. "And so far, it really has been helping me. . . . I already was a good edge-bender, but now it's just working on flexibility.
"But last year, when you're favoring one leg, I would get there and fall, slip."
Schwartz may also consider moving Curry from the right side of the line. On Monday, he spent more time lined up on the left with Brandon Graham on the right. Last season, it was mostly the opposite as Curry backed up Connor Barwin.
A permanent switch would allow for Curry to face off more against right tackles - often the lesser of the two flanks.
"Once you're in the heat of the battle, it doesn't matter," Curry said of a possible switch. "It's either him or me."
All the linemen shuffle across the front, but they line up predominately in one spot. Graham had his best season a year ago starting mostly on the left. How would the change affect him, especially since he isn't getting paid to be the No. 1 rusher?
Curry and others can say that it doesn't matter, but there is often a notable difference in the ability of the tackles. Would you rather face all-pro Tyron Smith or Chaz Green of the Cowboys? Would you rather try and beat all-pro Trent Williams or Morgan Moses of the Redskins?
"I think everybody's got things they prefer," new Eagles defensive end Chris Long, "but you got to be able to do both."
Barwin wasn't an ideal fit for Schwartz's one-gap 4-3 scheme, but he started ahead of Curry partly because of his run-stopping abilities. The ends are asked to penetrate, but they need to remain disciplined on run downs at times.
Curry still doesn't have a NFL start to his name. And yet, he was given a five-year, $46.5 million contract last offseason, making him one of the highest-paid edge rushers in the NFL. He wasn't the only defensive lineman to fall short of expectations, but his 2 1/2 sacks were a disappointment considering the investment.
There is always pressure, but Curry may have as much as any Eagle heading into the 2017 season. Only four players on the roster have a higher salary cap number, and clipping on his heels is this year's No. 1 draft pick - Derek Barnett.
"The pressure was last year. I was hurt," Curry said. "It's going to be what it's going to be at this point. I ain't [feeling] no pressure. Go out there and play hard, play your [butt] off, the rest will take care of itself."
But Barnett is clearly the future, at least the Eagles hope so. He's currently listed behind Curry on the right and has already drawn praise from Schwartz and the tackles that have blocked him this spring.
"He can help right away," Curry said of Barnett. "I didn't think anything crazy. I actually thought it was a good pick."
Barnett will get his snaps, often on passing downs as Curry moves inside. He was drafted to play in a system similar to Schwartz's, but Curry had more success rushing from defensive tackle in Bill Davis' 3-4 defense from 2013-15 than he did as an end. But he struggled against guards last season, too.
"I think he's played better than people give him credit for," Long said of Curry. "He's out there flying around and being disruptive. The numbers may not always show it, but he's got a lot of tools."
Measured against other edge rushers per snap - the most effective way to gauge production - and using the NFL's compilations for uniformity, Curry was more productive than it may have seemed. Out of 68 edge rushers who passed rushed more than his 297 times last season, he was 26th in tackles, 26th in hurries, 27th in tackles for loss and 59th in sacks.
Those numbers may not match a salary that makes him the 12th-highest paid edge rusher ($9.25 million) on a per-year basis, but it's not as if his contract is up.
"I'm going to leave that all in the past, bro," Curry said. "I'm feeling good. My body feels good. And I know what I demand of myself and what I'm capable of."
@Jeff_McLane