Vinny Curry Emerges From His ‘Long Offseason’

PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) - More than a few wouldn't mind spending some of their downtime in Central Florida but for Vinny Curry, his time in Tampa felt like one "long offseason."

A New Jersey native Curry grew up an Eagles fan and reached the pinnacle in Minneapolis during Super Bowl LII as part of a group that will walk together in history no matter what happens moving forward.

Curry, though, never got the opportunity for a sequel after being released and ultimately landing with the Buccaneers where things never really worked out. An uptick in snaps early resulted in an ankle injury and Curry trying to fight through it. The result was 2 1/2 sacks in 12 games, losing his starting job to Carl Nassib, and finally a ticket back north once Bruce Arians and Todd Bowles took over the Bucs and went in a different direction.

Curry knew what he wanted after experiencing what he didn't and returned to Philadelphia on a one-year deal for $2.25 million.

Although he did have Beau Allen with him in Tampa, Curry missed the camaraderie he developed with teammates like Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham.

Tuesday the veteran was back in the NovaCare Complex locker room greeting the media members he also missed and just enjoying being back where he wants to be.

"I just feel like I had a long offseason, that's all," Curry said of his short stint with the Buccaneers. "One thing when I was gone, I still talked to everybody every day."

Now 30 Curry left the Eagles as the starting right end and that's what he's been at OTAs to date, although much of that has to do with Derek Barnett sitting out as he continues to rehab from shoulder surgery.

The rotation from 2017 will be similar but turned upside down with Barnett, the rookie first-round pick back then who spelled Curry in the nickel package, penciled in as the starter and Curry fitted as the rotational end behind both Barnett and Graham on the other side.

Jim Schwartz's system is something Curry embraces and admitted he missed while in Tampa, where Mike Smith and Mark Duffner handled the defensive play calling last season.

Sometimes the grass isn't always greener on the other side of that fence even when the weather is really nice and Curry seems to have figured that out in his "long offseason."

“You gotta understand: one thing a lot of teams probably don’t have, we also hang out together away from the facility," Curry explained. “You know, there’s not [an instance) if a player messes up, we don’t say anything. No. We should be cool enough and brothers enough to be like you need to get your [shit] together. That’s the kind of bond we have.

"It's all about trust, trusting one another."

-John McMullen covers the Eagles and the NFL for 973espn.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen