It’s not as if it was a move anyone couldn’t see coming. In fact, I myself predicted it about a month ago and I claim no precognitive powers or communications with ancient football-loving ghosts. It was just something that was going to happen. Greg Hardy was going to be a free agent able to sign with any team that wanted him and that team was going to be the Dallas Cowboys. The only question was what kind of deal was it going to be?
Welcome to the Cowboys Greg Hardy! See the details here: http://t.co/ixMTf28Woe pic.twitter.com/IncVA4g2BW
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) March 18, 2015
It turns out it was a one-year deal, worth $11.3 million and up to $13.1 million with incentives. If those numbers look familiar they should. Hardy’s franchise tag with the Carolina Panthers last year paid him exactly $13.1 million to sit on his couch on the commissioner’s exempt list.
Hardy was convicted of assaulting a former girlfriend and threatening to kill her last June. Hardy appealed the case and it was thrown out back in January on appeal, putting Hardy back at large and free to sign with any NFL team once free agency hit.
The potential for a suspension for Hardy looms and he’ll likely get one, at least four games and he’ll be advised to take it in order to put the whole thing behind him. He could fight even that and I think he would win in court, considering his case was thrown out and he’s already sat a year, but I’d be willing to bet the Dallas Cowboys and Hardy himself won’t want the extra attention that would bring. Hardy’s signing is already causing a stir.
Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings called the Cowboys personally Wednesday after the signing was announced. Rawlings said he got assurances from the team, but for the politician, it wasn’t enough.
“I’m a big Cowboys fan,” Rawlings told reporters. “I love them to death and I want them to beat the Eagles every time they play, but at some point, being a sports fan gets trumped by being a father, husband, wanting to do what’s right for women, so this is not a good thing. I don’t think I’m going to be buying Hardy jerseys any time soon.”
As a football move, it makes all kinds of sense. Hardy replaces journeyman defensive end George Selvie, who just signed with the Giants Friday and is an upgrade in every way as a player. In 2013 Hardy made the Pro Bowl with 59 tackles, 15 sacks and one forced fumble. Selvie doesn’t have 15 sacks in his career.
As a public relations move, well, reaction has been mixed.
As predictable as signing Hardy was, it was nowhere near the slam dunk that the Cowboys would make no legitimate attempt to re-sign running back DeMarco Murray. Murray is just now coming into his prime, going to begin his fifth season and just rushed for 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns last year. Instead of making sure they kept this important cog in their offensive machine they let him go and he signed with their biggest division rival no less, the Philadelphia Eagles. Tony Romo, who just came off the most successful year of his life thanks in large part to Murray’s performance in the backfield, was understandably not too happy with the move.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEAELJaI7GY
Now, the Cowboys rolled the dice with losing Murray and I believe thinking they’d end up with Adrian Peterson. Especially since Peterson wants to play for them. But the Vikings refuse to cut Peterson, even though his agent has made it clear that he has no desire to suit up for the team again. Somebody is going to have to trade for him and eat his giant contract. With just around $5.7 million in cap space remaining and the NFL Draft on the horizon, for some reason conversations about Peterson to the Cowboys became eerily silent.
The Cowboys did add a running back to the fold with former Oakland Raider Darren McFadden to their roster on a two-year, $5.85 million deal. The signing was met by derision in the twitter-sphere as any comparison of Murray to McFadden is ridiculous. But McFadden is a good back when healthy and there’s a big difference between the Cowboys’ offensive line and the line he’s been playing behind in Oakland for bits and pieces of the last seven seasons. But ultimately, McFadden is a stop-gap and likely a back up for the Cowboys eventual starter, whoever that turns out to be.
Excited & ready to get to work with such a dynamic offense.#DallasCowboys #WeDemBoys. pic.twitter.com/yGstzIkOcM
— Darren McFadden (@dmcfadden20) March 20, 2015
Other Cowboys moves
Re-signed: Defensive tackle Nick Hayden
Signed: linebacker Jasper Brinkley, linebacker Andrew Gachkar, linebacker Keith Rivers, fullback Ray Agnew and fullback Jed Collins
