Bucs offically sign DE Curry, release DE Ayers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a pair of moves on their defensive line Monday as they offically announced they signed defensive end Vinny Curry and released Robert Ayers Jr., who also is a defensive end.

Terms of Curry’s deal were not released.

On Saturday, multiple media outlets reported it was a three-year deal worth $27 million, including $11.5 million guaranteed against injury.

Curry, 29, became a free agent after the Philadelphia Eagles released him Friday when the sides could not reach an agreement on the contract he was seeking.

Curry spent his first six seasons with the Eagles, who picked him in the second round of the 2012 draft out of Marshall. In 84 regular-season games (16 starts), he totaled 130 tackles, 33 tackles for loss, 22 sacks and five forced fumbles.

Last season, he became a full-time starter on a defense that led the league in fewest rushing yards allowed per game (79.2).

Ayers was due a $1 million roster bonus if he remained on Tampa Bay’s roster.

Last season, he started 10 of 12 games, recording 31 tackles and 2.0 sacks.

A nine-year veteran, Ayers had 6.5 sacks in his first season with the Buccaneers in 2016 after registering a career-best 9.0 sacks the previous season with the New York Giants.

A first-round pick of Denver in 2009, Ayers has appeared in 120 games (59 starts) with the Broncos, Giants and Buccaneers, posting 34.5 sacks and 270 tackles.

Besides signing Curry and releasing Ayers, the Buccaneers also signed center Ryan Jensen.

Tampa Bay did not disclose terms of the deal, but on Friday the NFL Network reported Jensen was signing a four-year deal worth $42 million with $22 million guaranteed.

Jensen spent his first five seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and appeared in 35 games. He started all 16 games for Baltimore last season.