On Thursday, the Detroit Lions signed former Raiders' receiver Ronald Curry to a one year deal. By Friday, he was already on the practice field working out with the team during their mandatory 3 day mini-camp.
Curry struggled along with the rest of the Raiders offense last season, amassing a mere 19 receptions for 181 yards. Prior to that, he averaged 50 plus catches in three out of four seasons, with the exception being the 2005 season where he was out most of the year because of an injury to his achilles' tendon. Curry hopes to make a positive impact on the Lions' squad and plans to re-invent himself in Detroit.
"I talked to a lot of other teams, but a lot of teams wanted to wait until after the draft, and I felt like the longer I waited, the worse position I was going to be in", said Curry. "Right now I'm just basically trying to make the team. It seems like a talented receiver group, but I talked to the coach and he said it's a great place to reinvent yourself. So I'm just looking for the opportunity to go out there and still show people I can play."
Lions' coach Jim Schwartz recognizes Detroit's need for a reciever in the slot position, and sees Curry as a perfect candidate for that role.
"He's had a lot of production in the slot and with Calvin and Bryant Johnson outside, we have a need for a slot receiver. As a defensive coach, I've gone against him a lot of times and he fits there."
Curry is optimistic about his role as the slot receiver for Detroit. He feels his best years with the Raiders were when Norv Turner was head coach, and was working Curry in the slot position.
"That's kind of how I really became who I was in Oakland. When Norv (Turner) was there, he really worked me in the slot, making a lot of plays. With three receivers, I can play outside, but I'm more effective inside. And I think I could help this team out a lot in the slot."
Curry will be playing with a familiar face in former teammate Daunte Culpepper. Culpepper was among the list of starting Quarterbacks for Oakland during the 2007 season. Curry had some of his better games with Culpepper throwing to him, and he looks forward to the chemistry continuing in Detroit.
"I think our chemistry will be good," Curry said. "We had good chemistry in Oakland, the time that he played. The playbook was a little limited for him, because he joined us late, and then he wasn't playing and then he was playing and then he got hurt at the end.
"But he looks great now. He looks like he's in better shape than he was when he came out to Oakland. He's real fiery right now, and I think he's gonna do a great job."
Source: The Detroit News
