Skip to main content

Preseason Profile: Aaron Curry, LB

Aaron Curry #51


College: Wake Forest
Height: 6'1⅝"
Weight: 254 lbs
Arm Length: N/A"
Hand Size: N/A"

40 Yard Dash: 4.56
3 Cone Drill: 7.15
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.51
Bench Press: 25 reps
Vertical Jump: 37"
Broad Jump: 124"

 

Curry was a very highly touted linebacker coming out of Wake Forest who seemed to be the total package. After being selected fourth overall in 2009, many assumed that Seattle would have a young star on defense to build around for years to come. To the surprise of many, Aaron Curry was traded to the Raiders in 2011 just five games into his third season. Of course the first thought that goes through everyone's mind when a top five draft pick is traded that early in his career is that they turned out to be a bust. However, I don't believe that to be true with Curry.

In his rookie season he started 12 games and had 61 tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. He didn't light the world on fire but had a pretty solid year all things considered. Many expected Curry to build on that first year and begin to really establish himself in year two, and he probably would have except things were shaken up for his second season with the Seahawks. Seattle hired Pete Carroll after the 2009 season and he came in with his own agenda ready to put his stamp on things. Part of his brilliant plan was to take his best defensive player and get him more involved. That sounds like a good plan right? Except that plan involved moving Curry into the "Elephant" linebacker role. For those unfamiliar with what an Elephant backer is, it is essentially a linebacker capable of playing both 4-3 defensive end and 3-4 outside linebacker. The main role of the elephant backer is to rush the quarterback.

While Curry does possess some ability to rush the passer, it is not his biggest strength. Coming from a more traditional linebacker role at Wake Forest and playing that way his first year in the NFL, Curry's transition was going to be a tough one. In his first day of practice at his new position Curry suffered a concussion that caused him to miss nearly two weeks of training camp. It's always tough to make a good impression with a new coaching staff when your trying to learn a new position and battling injuries at the same time. He fought through it though and went on to improve on his rookie numbers by starting all 16 games and racking up 73 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles.  That wasn't exactly the result Pete Carroll  and Seahawks were hoping though as he only finished with 3.5 sacks while rushing the quarterback more often from the elephant backer position.

After the failed experiment, neither Aaron Curry nor the coaching staff were feeling very confident with how things were going. Curry began transitioning back into a more traditional linebacker role, but after losing a lot of confidence and falling out of favor with the coaches, he never really got back on track in Seattle.

Just five games into the next season Curry was dealt to the Raiders for a 7th round pick in 2012 and a conditional 5th round pick in 2013. He instantly became the starting weak-side linebacker for the Raiders and had a decent year given the fact that he was plugged into a new defense in the middle of the season. Carson Palmer will be the first to tell you that being sent out on the field without knowing all the plays and adjustments is a tough situation.

Curry will now have a full off-season to get comfortable with his coaches and the new defensive scheme and should be ready for a fresh start. Look for him to try to get back to what made him so successful at Wake Forest, which was just playing read and react defense and using his natural talent to make plays. Curry's only real weakness is pass defense. He is a good scrape linebacker who pursuits the ball well and is a very solid tackler. If he gets a chance to size up a runner, he will also deliver a big hit. With his quickness he can be a very effective blitzer as well. Depending on the situation and personnel you could see Curry slide inside some this season. He is good at the point of attack and can get off blocks to make plays. He could be used as the second inside backer in some 3-4 looks, but should primarily play outside.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Oakland Raiders Swing for the Fences in 2016 NFL Draft

[embed align="center"]http://gty.im/153039819[/embed] These aren't your daddy's Oakland Raiders or even your younger self's Raiders. If anything, these are your newborn's Raiders or your puppy's Raiders. These are the Raiders we've never seen before. Indicative of the freshness of the franchise was their 2016 NFL Draft. No longer slave to a high draft pick and desperate needs, the theme of the draft for the Raiders was upside. It's as if general manager Reggie McKenzie got so used to hitting his draft picks out of the park that he started swinging for the fences. We'll have to wait a couple of years before we know if he struck out or if he'll continue his Ruthian ways. First, McKenzie boldly went with a safety at No. 14 overall. Kyle Joseph is coming off a torn ACL and fills a major need, but safety isn't a premium position. Only a handful of safeties have been drafted in the first 14 picks in the last 15 years and include names like Ea...

Oakland Raiders' Studs and Duds From Preseason Week 1

[embed]http://gty.im/484069738[/embed] The Oakland Raiders finally look like a competitive football team again. That should be the biggest takeaway from their preseason rout of the St. Louis Rams. Quarterback Derek Carr and the offense looked significantly improved from a year ago, thanks in large part to some of the studs listed below. The starting defense was still a little shaky, but there were still a few bright spots. Overall, the Raiders can feel good about their first live action of the year, especially since there appeared to be no significant injuries to come out of it. Studs Rodney Hudson Of all general manager Reggie McKenzie's offseason acquisitions, he committed the most money to center Rodney Hudson. Offensive linemen rarely get the praise they deserve, but a great offensive line as anchored in the middle can be huge for an offense. Hudson was very solid in his debut against a very good defensive front. If Hudson and the offensive line can consistently protect Carr an...

Preseason Week 1 Players to Peruse

[embed]http://gty.im/459756040[/embed] The Oakland Raiders season officially kicks off Friday night. Unfortunately, it's preseason. Fortunately, there are still plenty of things to watch. It seems like this every year, but this truly is one of the most interesting Raiders teams in years. For starters, there is a lot of young talent. Unlike past years, there is also plenty of veteran talent that isn't over 30. While all eyes will be on first-round pick Amari Cooper, there are at least a half-dozen other players Raiders fans should keep a close eye on during the game. D.J. Hayden He hasn't been able to stay healthy, nor has he been particularly awesome when he is healthy, but cornerback D.J. Hayden still has a lot of talent. General manager Reggie McKenzie will take his lumps if Hayden doesn't pan out this year, but more importantly the Raiders will also be dangerously thin at cornerback. The Raiders need Hayden to solid, even if he doesn't live up to the potential he...