Vinny Curry - Pro Football Rumors

Seahawks Trade Michael Bennett To Eagles

March 7th, 2018 at 1:23pm CST by Zachary Links

Trade alert! The Seahawks are sending defensive end Michael Bennett and a seventh-round pick to the Eagles for a fifth-round pick and wide receiver Marcus Johnson, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Facebook link). Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) first reported that Bennett was Philadelphia-bound.

Bennett has been the subject of trade speculation for months now and the Falcons were among the teams to express interest in acquiring him recently. The return for him may seem underwhelming given his ability, but his market was suppressed by his contract, which still has three seasons and $26MM left.

The Seahawks’ loss is now the Eagles’ gain. Bennett didn’t have his best season in 2017, but he did earn a third Pro Bowl nod as he registered 8.5 sacks. His inside pass rush ability helped to propel Seattle to the Super Bowl in back-to-back seasons and he’ll look to do more of the same for the defending champs. The Eagles project to start a defensive line of Bennett, Cox, Derek Barnett, and Brandon Graham, and that’s as good of a D-Line as you’ll find in the NFL.

After acquiring Bennett, the Eagles may explore a potential trade of defensive end Vinny Curry, Schefter tweets. The Eagles like Curry, but his cap number for 2018 is a bit too pricey given their limited amount of room.

The Bennett deal opens up roughly $2.2MM in cap space for the Seahawks, though they’re still saddled with about $5.2MM in dead money. The trade also helped Seattle escape the $3MM bonus he was due later this month and freed them of the future seasons left on his deal. The Eagles now assume that contract, which has Bennett under control through the 2020 season.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks gain an insurance policy in the event that Paul Richardson leaves in free agency. Given the buzz surrounding him, it’s very possible that they’ll lose him on the open market. Enter Johnson, who has posted a 40-yard-dash time of 4.36 seconds in the past. He doesn’t have a stat line that comes close to Richardson (he had just five grabs for 45 yards last season), but his speed could allow him to fill a similar role in Seattle.

Eagles Working To Keep DE Vinny Curry

March 5th, 2018 at 2:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles want to keep defensive end Vinny Curry and are working to restructure that deal in order to make that happen, a source tells ESPN.com’s Tim McManus (Twitter link). As it stands, Curry is slated to count against the cap for $11MM in 2018.

The Eagles have very little wiggle room to work with this offseason. As of this writing, the Eagles are projected to be over the cap by about $9MM, so Curry will have to be a team player if he wants to stay on board.Ian Rapoport of NFL.com first reported that the Eagles could approach Curry about a reworked contract.

The Eagles could save $5MM by releasing Curry, but they’d still be left with $6MM in dead money, not to mention the task of replacing his production with limited resources. From a monetary standpoint, it would make sense for Curry to stand his ground in any talks with the Eagles. He didn’t have a gaudy stat line in 2017, but he did grade as the NFL’s No. 21 edge defender, per Pro Football Focus. Plenty of teams will line up to sign Curry if he hits the open market, particularly given the lack of quality defensive linemen in this year’s free agent crop.

In other Eagles news, the team is reportedly seeking more than a first- and fourth-round pick in a trade for quarterback Nick Foles.

Eagles To Release DL Vinny Curry?

March 4th, 2018 at 4:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Eagles are expected to release defensive lineman Vinny Curry, but could attempt to restructure his contract before making the cut official, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (all Twitter links). Meanwhile, other NFL clubs are expressing interest in trading for Curry, per Rapoport.

Philadelphia, of course, is coming off a Super Bowl title, but now faces an offseason of cost-cutting. Releasing Curry represents the first of those moves, as parting ways with the veteran defender will clear his $9MM base salary from the Eagles’ 2018 books. However, $6MM worth of Curry’s prorated bonus money will now immediately accelerated onto Philadelphia’s salary cap, leaving the club with a net savings of $5MM.

For most teams, a $5MM cap savings would represent a drop in the bucket, but it’s a critical total for the Eagles, who were a projected $10.41MM over the cap before cutting Curry. Philadelphia will still be over the cap following Curry’s release, so more transactions — which could potentially include cutting wide receiver Torrey Smith or trading backup quarterback Nick Foles — are likely on the table.

Curry, 29, played the most defensive snaps of his career (576) of his career in 2017, and saw the third-most playtime among Eagles defensive lineman. While Curry managed only three sacks, he posted 28.5 quarterback pressures and graded as the NFL’s No. 21 edge defender, per Pro Football Focus, which assigned Curry excellent marks for his run defense.

Philadelphia, though, has cheaper options along its defensive line. Brandon Graham will earn just $8MM in base salary in 2018, the final year of his contract, while Chris Long will collect only $2.25MM. And the Eagles used their 2017 first-round pick on edge rusher Derek Barnett, who is under team control through at least 2020 at cost effective rates.

Given his track record and his ability to slide to defensive tackle in sub packages, Curry should be able to generate a market in free agency. He’ll be aided by a weak free agent defensive end class, as well as the fact that he won’t factor into the 2019 compensatory pick formula now that’s been released.

East Notes: Curry, Eagles, Jets, Giants, Fins

February 5th, 2016 at 9:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Edge rusher Vinny Curry became the latest Eagle to sign a long-term extension with the club this week, inking a five-year deal that will keep him in Philadelphia through 2020. And while the initial guarantee of Curry’s $47MM deal was reported as $23MM, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com reports (via Twitter) that the full guarantee is actually only $18MM — the remaining $5MM is for injury only. Corry also passes along Curry’s cap charges from 2016-2020 (Twitter link): $3MM, $9MM, $11MM, $11.25MM, and finally, $12MM in 2020.

There’s more news from the East divisions, so let’s dive in:

The Jets have hired Jeff Hammerschmidt as assistant special teams coordinator, the club announced via press release. Hammerschmidt spent the past four years as Colorado State’s special teams coach, and also worked with the team’s running backs and tight ends. He’ll serve under Brant Boyer, whom New York hired away from the Colts earlier this week.
In his latest offseason preview, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap takes a look at the Giants, noting that the club’s main goal in the next few months should be working out contract solutions with receiver Victor Cruz and tackle Will Beatty. A strong effort during the free agent period, opines Fitzgerald, will be key if Big Blue wants to compete in 2016.
Ryan Tannehill was essentially banned from calling audibles last season, so much so that receiver Greg Jennings isn’t sure anyone knows what the young Dolphins quarterback is really capable of, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “[H]e hasn’t been given the reins to where he has the liberty and freedom to call his shots sometimes,” said Jennings. “It’s almost like taking a baby who’s six years old and he still has a bottle in his mouth. Gotta take it out and see if he can drink out of a cup.”

East Notes: Jets, Curry, Cox, Deflategate

February 3rd, 2016 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

As first reported on Tuesday night by Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link), the Jets have hired Brant Boyer as their new special teams coordinator, the team announced today in a press release. Boyer arrives in New York from Indianapolis, where he has served as the Colts’ assistant special teams coach for the last four seasons, working with Pro Bowlers Adam Vinatieri, Pat McAfee, and Matt Overton.

The Jets took their time finding a new special teams coordinator, after parting ways with Bobby April nearly a month ago. As Todd Bowles and the Jets considered their options, April found a new home in Tennessee, where he’ll serve as the Titans’ special teams coach.

Let’s round up a few more Wednesday notes from around the NFL’s East divisions….

Appearing today on ESPN’s First Take (video link), Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall was asked about the latest Colin Kaepernick rumors, and replied that he’d prefer the team to bring back Ryan Fitzpatrick rather than going after Kaepernick.
Having signed a lucrative new long-term deal with the Eagles, Vinny Curry said that it wouldn’t have happened if not for the team’s scheme change, per Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter). With Jim Schwartz replacing Billy Davis as Philadelphia’s defensive coordinator, the club will be shifting from a 3-4 look to a 4-3 base, which should better suit Curry.
Curry added that he has been in constant contact with Fletcher Cox, and he thinks his fellow defensive lineman will get a contract extension done with the Eagles (Twitter link via Martin Frank of the Delaware News Journal).
More than a year after the NFL began looking into the Patriots for what became known as Deflategate, the league is still mishandling the situation, writes Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports. As Wetzel notes, Roger Goodell‘s assertion that the NFL didn’t keep any of the information logged during the 2015 season on the air pressure of game-day footballs creates more questions than answers.
Eagles fans will see some familiar faces in this week’s Super Bowl, writes Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News, who points to Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott and safety Kurt Coleman as “Eagles discards” who are thriving in Carolina.

Eagles, Vinny Curry Agree To Extension

February 2nd, 2016 at 5:51pm CST by Zachary Links

The extensions just keep on comin’. The latest one has been inked by Vinny Curry, who now has a new deal worth $47.25MM with the Eagles, as Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets. In total, the deal includes $23MM in guaranteed cash. Curry also gets $10MM immediately upon signing, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The new deal means that Curry will be under contract through 2020.

The defensive end’s overall numbers took a hit in 2015 — after recording nine sacks and four forced fumbles in 2014, he had 3.5 and zero, respectively, this past season. Still, Pro Football Focus graded him 10th among interior defensive linemen as a pass-rusher, so he was putting pressure on quarterbacks even if he wasn’t bringing them down.

Having been selected in the second round of the 2012 draft, Curry’s old rookie contract was set to expire this winter without a fifth-year option. Now, instead of hitting the the open market in March, Curry is slated to remain in Eagles green for a long time. The rival Giants were among the clubs believed to be eyeing him, but they’ll now have to shift their focus elsewhere.

Curry came to the Eagles in a rather notable draft-day trade in 2012 The Eagles selected defensive lineman Jerel Worthy at No. 51 overall for the Packers and, in return, they got Curry (No. 59) and cornerback Brandon Boykin. Former coach Chip Kelly jettisoned Boykin from Philadelphia prior to the 2015 season, but the Eagles refused to let Curry go anywhere else.

Curry’s deal is not unlike the one given to Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen. Griffen, a former third-round pick out of USC, got a five-year deal worth $42.5MM with $20MM guaranteed roughly eleven months ago. After getting this monster deal, Curry is now cemented as a starter and a key fixture in the Eagles’ front seven. Curry is expected to serve as an edge rusher in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz‘s 4-3 scheme which should be a much better fit for him that the club’s previous 3-4 set.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Eagles Notes: Ertz, Celek, Bradford

January 27th, 2016 at 1:45pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s been a busy week so far for the Eagles, who signed a pair of tight ends to new contracts and are still looking to hire a key personnel executive for their front office. Let’s check out the latest out of Philadelphia….

Using the contracts signed last winter by Julius Thomas and Charles Clay as points of comparison, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap breaks down Zach Ertz‘s new deal with the Eagles. Fitzgerald also explains why Brent Celek‘s extension has plenty of value for Philadelphia, assuming the team had already decided to carry the veteran tight end on its roster for 2016.
The new deals for Ertz and Celek show that – after ceding power to Chip Kelly for a year – Howie Roseman is re-committing to building an atmosphere in which players drafted by the Eagles feel valued by the organization, and stick with the team for the long term, writes Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. “It’s an important message to your team, that if you play really well and you do the right things and you’re drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, you’ve got a chance to stay for a long time,” Roseman said. “I think it’s important for the organization.”
Josh Paunil of PhillyMag.com spoke to former agent Joel Corry about the likely value of potential extensions for players like Fletcher Cox, Lane Johnson, and Vinny Curry. Corry also explained why he thinks Sam Bradford may ultimately sign a one-year contract this offseason rather than a long-term deal.
If the Eagles know whether they plan re-sign Bradford or let him walk, they’re not tipping their hand yet, as Bowen details in a Daily News piece.
Bowen and Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter links) are both hearing rumblings that the personnel executive ultimately hired by the Eagles to work with Roseman will be a retread, rather than an up-and-comer.
The Eagles have hired Missouri’s Chris Wilson as their defensive line coach, Doug Pederson said today, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).

Eagles Interested In Extending Lane Johnson, Zach Ertz, Vinny Curry

January 22nd, 2016 at 10:35am CST by Luke Adams

NFL teams are now free to extend the rookie contracts of players selected in the 2013 draft, and the Eagles are interested in locking up a couple of their top ’13 draftees, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com. Shorr-Parks reports that Philadelphia has prioritized getting new contracts done with offensive tackle Lane Johnson and tight end Zach Ertz.

In addition to Johnson and Ertz, defensive end Vinny Curry is also a top priority for the Eagles. Having been selected in the second round of the 2012 draft, Curry’s rookie contract is expiring this winter, and doesn’t feature a fifth-year option, so he’ll hit the open market in March if he and the Eagles can’t reach a new deal by then. According to Shorr-Parks, the Eagles have already made a contract offer to Curry in the hopes of getting something done. If he reaches the open market, the defensive end could draw interest from the Giants, among other teams, say Shorr-Parks.

Although Philadelphia is expected to make extension offers soon to Johnson and Ertz, getting something done with Johnson shouldn’t be an urgent item on the team’s to-do list. As a 2013 first-rounder, Johnson has a fifth-year option for 2017 on his rookie deal, so assuming the Eagles exercise that option, the offensive lineman will remain under team control for at least two more seasons.

The same can’t be said for Ertz though, who was a second-round pick. He’ll become eligible for unrestricted free agency a year from now if he and the Eagles don’t work something out. The 25-year-old tight end is coming off a career year, having caught 75 passes for 853 yards in 2015.

As for Curry, his overall numbers took a hit in 2015 — after recording nine sacks and four forced fumbles in 2014, he had 3.5 and zero, respectively, this past season. Still, Pro Football Focus graded him 10th among interior defensive linemen as a pass-rusher, so he was putting pressure on quarterbacks even if he wasn’t bringing them down.

PFF also ranked Johnson 24th among offensive tackles, out of 81 qualified players at the position. The former fourth overall pick could become the Eagles’ full-time left tackle if and when the team decides to move on from Jason Peters, so locking up Johnson sooner rather than later, while not absolutely necessary, could save the club some money down the road. He has primarily played right tackle up until this point of his career.

With Chip Kelly out of the picture in Philadelphia, decisions on contract extensions and signings will be made by some combination of Howie Roseman, Tom Donahoe, Jeffrey Lurie, Doug Pederson, and the club’s new head of player personnel, who has yet to be hired.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Giants, Curry

November 4th, 2015 at 9:10am CST by Luke Adams

Having waived running back Joseph Randle this week, the Cowboys parted ways with a player who had been expected to pick up a good chunk of DeMarco Murray‘s carries this season. Still, as Schuyler Dixon of The Associated Press details, Randle’s disappointing 2015 campaign isn’t making Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones second-guess the decision to let Murray walk in free agency back in March.

“That ship’s sailed,” Stephen Jones said. “We’d make that decision over, same decision, we’d make it again. We have to develop, structure a football team with the salary cap. You can’t pay a top receiver, a top quarterback, a top pass rusher, a top left tackle. You’ve got to make hard decisions.”

As the Cowboys prepare to move on with Darren McFadden and Christine Michael leading their rushing attack, let’s check in on a few more items from around the NFC East….

With the Cowboys‘ top decision-makers insisting they have genuine interest in locking up Greg Hardy to a extension, former agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com breaks down three possible contract structures that would somewhat limit the risk for the team.
Like every other team in the NFL, the Giants ultimately stood pat on Tuesday as the trade deadline came and went. According to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com, that was the right call for the club, which he feels is ultimately a “rebuilding team” in the big picture. As such, it wouldn’t have made sense for New York to move future draft picks.
Vinny Curry had his name circulated in trade rumors over the last few days, but Eagles head coach Chip Kelly said the defensive end wasn’t discussed in trade talks. As Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes, Curry is used to the trade speculation surrounding him, and was unfazed by it this week.

Trade Rumors: Cowboys, Young, McCourty

November 3rd, 2015 at 2:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Will we see any trades finalized around the NFL today? Teams have less than an hour before this afternoon’s 3:00pm CT deadline arrives, so they’ll have to act fast to get anything done. Here are a few of the latest rumors and rumblings:

The Cowboys won’t be making any trades today, according to owner Jerry Jones (link via Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com). Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones said the team had some calls, but nothing serious developed.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the defensive end market has been the most active today, with names like Vinny Curry (Eagles), Willie Young (Bears), and Jeremy Mincey (Cowboys) generating interest. It’s not clear yet whether their respective teams will move them, however.
Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) also mentions Young in his list of the players he’s heard mentioned the most today. La Canfora’s other names include 49ers tackle Joe Staley, Rams right end Jared Cook, Browns linebackers Paul Kruger and Barkevious Mingo, Raiders wideout Rod Streater, and Chiefs cornerback Marcus Cooper.
Per La Canfora (via Twitter), the Jets are among the teams that have been “sniffing around” pass rushers.
After reporting earlier that the Patriots had interest in Titans cornerback Jason McCourty, Rapoport says he’s now hearing that McCourty is no longer available (Twitter link).