Seahawks going light on Curry

RENTON, Wash. – Forgive Aaron Curry if he sits back and savors the unexpected breather the Seahawks are about to give him.

He’s had so many life changes since April, he may not recognize himself in the mirror.

The dynamic outside linebacker turned 23. He became the fourth overall draft choice. He got married to Jamila Abdul-Hakim of Charleston, S.C. He became a father. He sat out the first eight days of training camp because he didn’t like Seattle’s offer, then signed for $34 million guaranteed — the largest assured cash for a non-quarterback in NFL history. He used some of that windfall to buy a new home in the Seattle area.

Curry was handed the starting job the first day he arrived in camp. He made a splash in his first regular-season game on Sept. 13, flying all over the field while infuriating the St. Louis Rams with trash-talking and hits at and after the whistle.

Then, in the words of Seahawks coach Jim Mora, he hit the proverbial rookie “wall.”

“It’s really just very natural that rookies, at a certain point in the year (get tired),” Mora said, emphasizing the team isn’t disappointed in Curry, only trying to help him as he plays his most games ever in one season.

Curry has just five tackles in his last two games despite playing almost every defensive down. He has just two sacks in 10 games, none since Oct. 11.

He admits playing on every down, defending the run, taking on bigger and far more experienced offensive tackles, dropping into pass coverage and being asked to blitz the quarterback have all been wearing him down.

Mora denied Curry had too much responsibility too soon. Yet he and rookie defensive coordinator Gus Bradley are scaling back on Curry’s workload. Mora said Curry will now play less on third downs, cutting out some of his pass coverage and blitz responsibilities.

The Rams are no doubt looking forward to paying back Seattle’s eager rookie on every play they can in the rematch Sunday in St. Louis.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say (my head) was swimming, but I got to the point I was doing too much overanalyzing,” Curry said.

As for the aggressiveness that has sometimes had him out of position, and out some cash, Curry calls it being “too eager to make big plays.”

Mora says Curry won’t completely disappear on third downs. But the Seahawks want him to focus on getting better on first and second down in the base defense, to solidify a foundation for what they feel is a long, stellar career ahead.