RENTON – A second string linebacker doesn’t usually command a throng of reporters and TV cameras, but that’s the position Aaron Curry found himself in after the Seattle Seahawks demoted the No. 4 overall pick in the 2009 draft last week.
Curry was candid in answering questions from reporters about his situation before practice Wednesday. He indicated that rumors about him potentially being traded are just that, and he remains committed to earning back his starting job.
“I’m at peace,” he said. “I have a complete peace of mind right now. I’m feeling blessed. I’m taking this trial that I have and just capitalizing on it.
“Frustration was last week. I was a little caught off guard, so of course naturally my response was just to be frustrated. But I’m so at peace right now. I don’t know how to explain it to you.”
Seattle coach Pete Carroll made the decision to start rookie K.J. Wright in place of Curry against Arizona.
And although Wright finished without a tackle, he covered his assignments and did not give up any big plays. Curry dropped a sure interception two weeks ago against Pittsburgh and repeatedly lost leverage on the perimeter, letting Steelers running backs get down the sideline for big gains.
“He’s frustrated, and rightfully so,” Carroll said about Curry. “I don’t blame him one bit for being frustrated. When we visited on it, he’s ready to battle.
“What we want to see from him is battle for what he rightfully wants to own and go after it and come back and fix the things and improve. He’ll get a chance to do that.”
Curry said that no one within the organization has told him he’s being shopped around the league.
“The people that make the decision on trades, signing and cuts, they haven’t called me or told me,” Curry said.
During training camp, the Seahawks restructured Curry’s contract, making it easier to part ways with the linebacker after the season.
Curry agreed to cut his rookie deal from six years to four. In return for giving up $5 million in guaranteed salary Curry was due to make in 2012, he can become a free agent at the end of that season – at age 27.
By season’s end, Curry will have earned $28.25 million over three years of the six-year, $60 million deal he originally signed with Seattle’s previous regime in August 2009.
“It was an interesting proposal,” he said about the restructure. “And it was kind of like, everything happens for a reason, and you don’t really know the reason behind everything. But I just took it and ran with it. If I was a money-hungry guy, I would’ve handled the situation differently, but I’m not. I’m about playing football, and I’m about winning.”
So does Curry expect to remain with Seattle?
“That’s in the hands of the people upstairs,” Curry said. “Whoever is making all of the roster adjustments and all that stuff – that’s up to them.”
CABLE HAS SURGERY
Seahawks offensive line coach/assistant head coach Tom Cable will miss the rest of this week and possibly Sunday’s game because he’s recovering from back surgery performed on Monday.
Carroll said Cable’s back had been bothering him, and it got to the point where he had to do something.
“He had a real serious situation that we needed to take care of, and he had a very successful operation and he’s in good shape,” Carroll said. “But it’s going to take him a couple of days before he gets out of the hospital – something that you can imagine how tough he would be on himself. …
“He went way too long (without) taking care of business, so we’re real pleased for him that he’s going to be fine and all that.”
Assistant offensive line coach Pate Ruel will handle Cable’s coaching duties until he returns.
The Seahawks’ team staff used Skype so Cable could watch a live feed of Wednesday’s practice from his hospital room.
GOODELL STOPS BY
League commissioner Roger Goodell stopped by Seahawks’ practice Wednesday, spending the early portion of the workout chatting with Carroll, general manager John Schneider and team president Peter McLoughlin.
Goodell was in the Seattle area for a business meeting. Two years ago, Goodell came to town and climbed Mount Rainier with former Seahawks coach Jim Mora.
INJURY REPORT
For Seattle, offensive lineman Robert Gallery (groin) remains out. Safety Cam Chancellor (quad), cornerback Byron Maxwell (ankle) and linebacker Matt McCoy (shoulder/head) did not participate in practice. Offensive tackle Jarriel King (ankle) and fullback Michael Robinson (ankle) were full participants in practice. … For Atlanta, linebacker Stephen Nicholas (calf), defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux (knee), cornerback Kelvin Hayden (hamstring), wide receiver Roddy White (thigh) and running back Jason Snelling (concussion) did not practice. Offensive tackle Sam Baker (ankle), linebacker Curtis Lofton (foot) and defensive end Cliff Matthews (not injury related) were limited participants in practice.
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