Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy is set to become a free agent next month. In what would otherwise be an offseason of teams drooling over his services, the former Mississippi standout is going to be limited on the open market due to a domestic violence case off the field.
While charges were eventually dropped against Hardy, there’s some concern around the league that the talented pass rusher will have to serve a six-game suspension to start the 2015 season. Even if that doesn’t happen, character concerns will water down the market for his services.
On the field, Hardy is a tremendous talent. Prior to missing all but one game last season while serving on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, Hardy put up a total of 26 sacks in 2012 and 2013.
Here’s a look at five potential landing spots for the talented veteran. Keep in mind that salary cap situations are not necessarily a big deal here considering Hardy’s value isn’t where many expected it to be. It’s also important to note that recent reports suggest Carolina will not be looking to retain Hardy when free agency gets going.
Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati ranked dead last in the NFL with 20 sacks this past season. Outside of Carlos Dunlap, not a single player recorded more than three sacks. Considering the Bengals run a strict 4-3 scheme, they are going to need to get another hands-down pass-rush option along the defensive line. Without that, the Bengals defense will continue to struggle putting pressure on the quarterback. In terms of cap room, Cincinnati is slated to have more than $30 million to spend when free agency starts. Though, it’s highly unlikely Marvin Lewis’ squad would have to use a substantial amount of that on a reclamation project like Hardy.
Dallas Cowboys
Since the Cowboys switched to a 4-3 front back in 2013, they have had some issues generating a pass rush from the defensive line. Their defense ranked 28th in the NFL in sacks this past season with Jeremy Mincey leading the squad with six sacks. Considering Anthony Spencer has not panned out in a hands-down role and is slated to become a free agent, Dallas will likely look for someone to come in and start opposite either Mincey or DeMarcus Lawrence.
That’s where Hardy comes into play. Dallas is already behind the proverbial eight-ball when it comes to the cap, so it will need to hit the bargain market. Considering his off-field issues and the potential of a six-game suspension to start the season, it’s likely Hardy will come at a reduced rate. If that’s the case, Dallas would be a tremendous fit.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay’s defense racked up 36 sacks a season ago, but only 14 came from the defensive end position. That’s not necessarily going to work for a team that runs a 4-3 base. And While Gerald McCoy is quite the monster in the middle, his job would be made that much easier with an edge presence on the outside.
Not only does Tampa Bay have the need to add a talented defensive end, Hardy may in fact decide that sticking it to the Panthers may be the best course of action moving forward. What better place than to go to his soon-to-be former team’s rival in the NFC South?
Atlanta Falcons
Speaking of sticking it to Tampa Bay. Atlanta obviously has the need to bring in a defensive end in Dan Quinn’s hybrid 4-3 scheme. Similar to Seattle Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril in many ways, Hardy would be able to provide that exterior presence for a defense that tallied 22 sacks, including less than 10 from the defensive end position last season.
Some may think that bringing in a potential malcontent to work under a new coaching staff would be a mistake. While that may very well be true, Quinn has a history of working well with strong personalities in the past. Adding Hardy to the mix would also enable Atlanta to fortify its pass-rush department by selecting another defensive end in April’s draft. With the talent this team has in the secondary, a strong pass rush would make Atlanta’s defense a surprising strength in 2015.
Jacksonville Jaguars
A ton of the focus in Jacksonville over the years has been on offense—most notably the quarterback position. However, it’s important to note that this team has possessed a weak defensive line for some time now. Considering head coach Gus Bradley came from a franchise in Seattle that has built from the inside out, we have to believe he’s going to start doing that at some point in Jacksonville before it’s too late.
Hardy is a perfect fit in this scheme. With the likes of Sen’Derrick Marks and Roy Miller playing decent football in the middle, Hardy would be able to free them up to get to the quarterback even more. Heck, it would be a double-edged sword with Marks and Hardy. It’s this type of tandem that can bring an entire front seven together. Void of much talent in the defensive secondary, that’s potentially what Bradley will have to do moving forward. Jacksonville did tally 45 sacks a season ago, so signing Hardy would only add more talent to a pretty solid aspect of the team’s defense.
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