Dallas Cowboys Rumors: Team Close To Signing Greg Hardy, But Wary Of Possible Suspension
The Dallas Cowboys are rumored to be in negotiations to sign free agent Greg Hardy, though a significant suspension could loom for the big defensive end.
Hardy played just one game last season, being deactivated by the Carolina Panthers after Week 1 when an ex-girlfriend accused him of threatening and assaulting her.
Hardy garnered quite a bit of interest in free agency, with his agent Drew Rosenhaus noting that a “mystery team” was in close negotiations to secure his services. It turns out the Dallas Cowboys may be that team, as it was reported Monday that Dallas was in negotiations to sign Hardy.
BREAKING: sources tell me #Cowboys are negotiating to sign FA defensive end Greg Hardy @1053thefan
— mike fisher (@fishsports) March 16, 2015
Terms of a potential deal were not disclosed, and some sources indicated that Hardy and the Cowboys are still quite a ways from finalizing a contract. Some of the difficulty in negotiations could stem from Hardy’s legal troubles.
Though he was convicted in a bench trial of threatening and assaulting his ex-girlfriend, the charges were thrown out when he requested a jury trial and the accuser refused to cooperate.
But it was far from a clean slate, with allegations that Hardy paid off the accuser to make the problem go away. Many believe the NFL will not overlook the circumstances and bring down a big suspension.
Greg Hardy’s apparent payoff to alleged domestic victim will test NFL’s new policy. Can you buy your way out of it? http://t.co/E4vKSJVGbd
— Jane McManus (@janesports) February 10, 2015
This is rumored to be giving the Dallas Cowboys some leverage in negotiations. As CBS Sports reported, Hardy is likely looking at a significant suspension, which is scaring off a lot of potential suitors.
“There’s a ‘good chance‘ free agent defensive end Greg Hardy will be suspended for the first six games of the season, reports SI‘s Peter King. A judge last year convicted Hardy of assaulting and threatening his ex-girlfriend, but he asked for a jury trial and the case was dismissed when his accuser could not be located to testify.
King reported Hardy ‘certainly is repelling his share of suitors’ due to his potential suspension and ‘the public battering’ a team would incur for signing him. Hardy, 26, posted 26 sacks in 2012 and 2013 for the Panthers before spending most of last season on the commissioner’s exempt list.”
If the rumors are true, the Dallas Cowboys may be looking at offering Greg Hardy a short-term contract with little guaranteed money that could allow him to prove to other teams he is still able to succeed in the NFL.
[Image via ESPN]
