It's safe to say Vinny Curry is pretty happy to be back in Philadelphia.
Right?
"Hell yeah," said a giddy Curry on a conference call with Philly reporters Thursday afternoon. "Super excited!"
After one year in Tampa Bay, the 30-year-old Curry on Thursday signed a one-year contract to return to the Eagles. According to a league source, his one-year deal is worth $2.25 million and he can earn another $1.25 million in incentives. It's quite a different contract than the last one he signed with the Eagles and the three-year, $23 million deal he signed to join the Bucs last offseason.
But this wasn't all about money for Curry.
He wanted to come back. You could feel his excitement on the other end of Thursday's conference call.
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In fact, Curry was reportedly offered more money to join the Giants, but came back to the Eagles instead.
Definitely had a couple different offers on the table, but home is home. This just felt right. This felt like the right situation. I think it was just time for me to be back in Philadelphia.
Let's Go!!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/yTgThVWBri— Vinny Curry (@MrGetFlee99) March 21, 2019
Curry was drafted by the Eagles in the second round back in 2012 after he grew up in Neptune, N.J. as an Eagles fan. But the real reason he wanted to come back to Philly was because of his teammates. Even though he said he had a good time during his one season in Tampa, he missed his teammates in the Eagles' locker room. He said they're like brothers. Curry, Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham - minus last year - have played together since 2012.
But things changed during Curry's year away. He started every game during the 2017 Super Bowl season, but it is expected that he will come back to the Eagles this year as a rotational player, playing both defensive end and defensive tackle. Graham and Derek Barnett will be the starters at defensive end.
"When it comes to the role, whatever the team needs me to do, I've always been that guy," Curry said. "You guys know that. Whatever the team needs me to do, I'm going to do it. I don't have an ego at all."
Curry even joked he would play receiver if the Eagles asked. When he was told the Eagles likely won't ask him to do that, Curry agreed and joked he has "feet for hands."
The Eagles cut Curry after the 2017 season because of his contract and Curry on Thursday said he understood why they did it. It's in the past, he said. Curry was cut for the second straight year when the Bucs parted ways with him this offseason to save $8 million in cap space. (This also means the Eagles won't lose out on a comp pick by signing him.)
Last season, Curry played in just 12 games thanks to a high ankle sprain he suffered in Week 6 that left him in a hard cast. But Curry is healthy now and is ready for spring practices.
Was it a good decision to bring him back?
Sure, why not. Curry is 30 now and maybe he's never really lived up to his potential, but he's a solid player who knows the defense and isn't making a lot of money. For a rotational piece along the line, Curry makes plenty of sense.
And he's really happy to be back. Now, he just hopes he can figure out a way to get his No. 75 back from Josh Sweat.
"We're working on that," he said. "We're definitely working on that. Hopefully, I'm back in the 75."
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