Curry: “I messed my MCL up” in 2016
22 May 2017 Eagles News
By now, all of Eagles Nation is well aware of the down season that defensive end and fan favorite Vinny Curry had in 2016.
With Curry signing a five-year, $47 million deal, it was obvious why last year was a disappointment for the #FreeVinnyCurry movement. However, what’s not often talked about, is the fact that Curry played through an MCL injury through the season.
On 94WIP, Curry made it known that his MCL Injury was probably the reason for his dip in production.
“I messed my MCL up,” Curry said. “I tried to play through it, and in the long run it ended up hurting me. It is going to be a better year, everything has been perfect so far.”
Last season, Curry only produced 26 tackles, with an underwhelming 2.5 sacks on his resume. What led to the low numbers? For starters, Curry played 42.8 percent of the snaps with DE Connor Barwin playing 69.5 percent of snaps, and Brandon Graham playing 74.9 percent on his side. Curry noted that he injured his knee prior to the Cleveland Browns game, in which he was listed as questionable with a knee injury week 1. By week 5, Curry was off the injury report but was active throughout the rest of the season.
With first-hand experience with MCL injuries, the recovery time will vary depending on the degree of the sprain. The best medicine for recovery is rest, but it can take 6 to 8 weeks to get back to normal. From what we know Curry tried to play through it, which in his case made matters worse for him.
If what Vinny Curry is saying is 100 percent true, should we expect “the real” Curry to be set free in 2017?
Either way, you put it, it’s imperative for him to show and prove what he’s made of this season. Curry will have his back up against a wall, with recent free-agent DE signing, Chris Long and rookie first-round talent Derek Barnett all up for the challenge. For me, this is the perfect scenario for Curry to be in because sometimes competition brings the best out of you. Vinny Curry… the floor is yours.
Gayle Saunders Chris Long, Derek Barnett, Philadelphia Eagles, Vinny Curry