Report – Bucs Sign Vinny Curry – How Will He Help?

Bucs fans clamoring for their favorite team to get some help for the pass rush have finally had their wishes granted as according to ESPN’s Jenna Laine, former Eagles edge rusher Vinny Curry has been signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Source tells me Vinny Curry is heading to the Bucs on a three-year deal for up to $27 million with $11.5 million injury guarantee. https://t.co/urIDc8kzra

— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) March 17, 2018

To make room for Curry, Tampa Bay released veteran Robert Ayers.

Source: the Bucs have released veteran DE Robert Ayers.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 17, 2018

Curry was a rotational player for the Eagles until this past season when he started all 16 games for the Super Bowl Champions. Of course, Curry is the second member of the champs’ top notch defensive line to sign with Tampa Bay this week, joining DT Beau Allen.

The Player

Curry brings some pressure skills on the edge. With 22 career sacks (including 9 in 2014), he hasn’t been dominant but can add pressure to the quarterback. In the NFC Championship game, he pressured Vikings quarterbacks 8 times according to Pro Football Focus, but finished with just two tackles and two QB Hits.

Vinny Curry racked up 8 pressures tonight! pic.twitter.com/0A9WRhPyaX

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) January 22, 2018

In a sense, that’s been the knock on Curry. He can generate the pressure but can’t seem to get home consistently enough. In 2017, Curry managed just 3 sacks but had 10 tackles for loss, 8 QB hits and a remarkable 42 QB pressures, 4th on the Eagles league-best pressure unit (291 total pressures).

So Curry seems to be a guy who can bring it, he just doesn’t finish.

How Curry Fits With The Bucs

Of course, the Bucs just need anyone that can move a quarterback off his spot. Curry can give them that off the edge. He’s probably never going to be a double-digit sack guy, but he’s a younger version of Robert Ayers (when Ayers is healthy and nasty), which is probably why he took Ayers job.

Cap Impact

By releasing Robert Ayers, the Bucs were able to create $6 million in cap space for Curry, who will make an additional $3 million this year as Ayers’ replacement. Three-years,  $27-million contract in this depleted marketplace for pass rushers isn’t half bad.

DLT’s Thoughts

Is Curry an upgrade? Yeah, a modest one. Ayers was older and injured more often than not. Curry seems to be a guy who can stay healthy and bring a steady rush from the edge. Like I said, I don’t think he’s the solution to all the Bucs’ pass-rushing woes but he’ll help and let’s face it, Tampa Bay needs all the help they can get in that department.