According to a report from the Charlotte Observer, the Carolina Panthers will not bring defensive end Greg Hardy back to the team next season. Hardy had been seeking a long-term contract with the Panthers around this time last year, but the team elected to place the franchise tag on him instead.
Hardy then played only one game in 2014 before being placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List due to his domestic violence issues. Hardy was found guilty of assaulting and threatening to kill ex-girlfriend Nicole Holder last year. He appealed for a jury trial, which begins next week.
If Hardy is found guilty again, it would likely trigger a minimum six-game suspension under the new personal conduct policy. Whether found guilty or not, Hardy's upcoming free agency will be an interesting case. We've already seen that NFL teams will not shy away from signing players with baggage -- the Bills just signed former Dolphins offensive lineman Richie Incognito, who was at the center of a bullying scandal two years ago -- if they are able to contribute on the field.
And Hardy, when on the field, was wildly productive in 2012 and 2013. He totaled 26 sacks and 141 pressures in those two seasons, making him one of the most productive pass-rushers in the NFL. He also accumulated the fourth-highest run-stop percentage of all 4-3 ends in each of those two years, according to Pro Football Focus. Teams are always in need of pass-rushers, and Hardy is one of the best.
"Hardy's going to get more of the benefit of the doubt just because he's a Pro Bowl-caliber player in his prime," former sports agent Joel Corry recently said. "So that's going to tip the scales for some owners that [think], I know you've got issues, but this guy can really play. If he couldn't really play, he might be out of the league."
