Greg Hardy - Pro Football Rumors

FA Rumors: Giants, Hardy, Ridley, Falcons

March 10th, 2015 at 8:24am CST by Luke Adams

With free agency set to open in a matter of hours, the Giants are zeroing in on a running back scheduled to his the open market later today, reports Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. According to Vacchiano, the team is “very serious” about trying to sign Shane Vereen, with one source suggesting it’s possible a deal could get done shortly after the market opens at 3:00pm central time. The report echoes what we heard last night from Albert Breer of the NFL Network, who classified the Giants’ interest in Vereen as “significant.”

As we wait to see whether the Giants can get anything done with the longtime Patriot, let’s check in on a few more Tuesday morning free agency updates….

One general manager tells Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) that at least six teams are interested in free agent pash rusher Greg Hardy. A Monday report indicated most potential suitors would like to hear what sort of discipline Hardy will face from the league following his legal issues before they make a bid.
The Vikings have inquired on free-agent-to-be Stevan Ridley, a source tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. However, Ridley would likely only be an option for Minnesota if Adrian Peterson doesn’t return.
Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link) believes O’Brien Schofield is the most likely free agent to sign with the Falcons. Schofield, an outside pass rusher, played for Dan Quinn‘s defense in Seattle.
Safety Ron Parker has been linked to a lot of teams within the past few days, so it’s no surprise that McClure says his price is getting pretty steep (Twitter link). It may be too expensive for the Falcons, who could look to re-sign Dwight Lowery instead, per McClure.
Safety Devin McCourty is no longer a free agent, having re-signed with the Patriots, but if he had reached the open market, the Eagles were one of three teams willing to offer him more than the $9.5MM per year New England gave him, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network.

Extra Points: Hoyer, Hardy, Morgan, Williams

March 9th, 2015 at 10:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

As we learned earlier today, the Jets aren’t giving up on Brian Hoyer despite reports of the quarterback agreeing to a deal with the Texans. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Jets spoke with Hoyer’s agent twice Monday, and were set to do so again Monday night.

Here’s more from around the league as on free agency eve…

Disputing an earlier report, the Falcons told D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that they have no interest in free agent defensive end Greg Hardy.
The Buccaneers have been “kicking the tires” on edge rusher Derrick Morgan, but it’s unclear if they’ll actually present him with an offer, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (via Twitter).
Defensive tackle Dan Williams could be a target for the Raiders, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN. Williams’ time in Arizona might be up following their signing of Corey Peters earlier tonight.
The Titans are in on edge rusher Brian Orakpo, who has drawn interest from numerous teams, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter).
Vince Young was not accepted to and won’t attend the NFL Veterans Combine on March 22 in Phoenix, a representative for the quarterback tells Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Smith hears that Young was not “invited” by the NFL and entered late (link). He could wind up as a last-minute addition but as of right now, he won’t be there.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Latest On Greg Hardy

March 9th, 2015 at 6:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although he’s one of the best available free agent pass-rushers, Greg Hardy‘s market will surely be affected by his murky eligibility status, given that he’s currently on the commissioner’s exempt list. Per Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), however, Hardy will meet with NFL officials tomorrow to learn whether or not he’ll be suspended for his 2014 domestic violence incident.

According to Cole, Hardy is expected to have a litany of suitors once his status is resolved, and the 49ers, Falcons, Jaguars, Titans, and Colts will be the clubs with the most interest. The 26-year-old Hardy played in just one game last season due to his placement on the exempt list, but he racked up 26 sacks in the two seasons prior. If he’s not suspended, he should face a healthy market for his services; if he is hit with a ban, interest in him would obviously be commensurately lowered.

Hardy, whom the Panthers are not expected to try to retain, ranked as the No. 11 free agent on PFR’s Top 50 list.

Titans Likely To Be Aggressive In Free Agency

March 6th, 2015 at 5:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Armed with nearly $50MM in cap room as Tuesday nears, the Titans are planning to be “extraordinarily aggressive” in free agency this month, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). According to Cole, the team may be involved in the bidding on some high-end free agents, including Ndamukong Suh, Greg Hardy, and Darrelle Revis, if the cornerback makes it to the open market.

While I wouldn’t expect the Titans to be the favorites to land players like Suh or Revis, who will probably receive competitive offers from teams closer to Super Bowl contention, Hardy is an interesting name. Given his off-field issues, and the fact that the league has yet to announce whether or not he’ll be suspended, some teams may shy away from Hardy, which could open the door for a team like Tennessee.

Hardy played in a 4-3 system in Carolina, so there may be some adjustment necessary if he were to join a team like the Titans, whose scheme leans more toward a 3-4, but the 26-year-old’s ability to get to the quarterback makes him a potential asset for any NFL team.

Speaking to reporters last month at the combine in Indianapolis, GM Ruston Webster cautioned that the most effective way to build a strong roster is through the draft, but did admit that he expects the club to try to fill some holes through free agency. According to Cole, the edict to spend may come down from above — the Bleacher Report insider says owner Tommy Smith has made it clear to his management team that he wants to be active in free agency.

NFC FA Rumors: Cole, Hardy, McDonald, Hawk

March 5th, 2015 at 12:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles officially announced on Wednesday that they’ve released Trent Cole from his contract, and the veteran edge defender didn’t waste much time in scheduling his first free agent visit. According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Cole is meeting with the Buccaneers, a team that runs a 4-3 system. Having played in the Eagles’ 3-4 scheme for the last two years, Cole is viewed as a better fit as a defensive end for a 4-3 club, and Tampa Bay is certainly in need of an outside pass rusher.

As we wait to see if anything comes of Cole’s visit with the Bucs, let’s check in on a few more free agent updates from around the NFC….

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello says there’s nothing stopping a player on the exempt list from signing a new contract, which is good news for Panthers defensive Greg Hardy (link via ESPN.com). The league has yet to announce its decision on whether or not Hardy will face discipline for alleged off-field conduct, which could diminish enthusiasm for the defensive end on the open market, but he’ll still be able to negotiate with teams and accept an offer next week.
In other legal news, agent Tom Condon has informed teams that the Santa Clara District Attorney won’t be pursuing charges against free agent defensive lineman Ray McDonald, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). According to Condon, the Santa Clara DA hasn’t fully completed the release, but McDonald’s counsel has been informed of the decision. Since McDonald was cut by the Niners in December, he’s eligible to sign a new contract anytime.
Linebacker A.J. Hawk may not be totally out of the picture in Green Bay, according to Bob McGinn and Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who report that the Packers left the door open for the linebacker’s possible return.
In addition to hosting Ted Ginn Jr. for a visit this week, the 49ers also met with former Vikings wideout Jerome Simpson, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Simpson, who was suspended at the start of the 2014 season, was cut by Minnesota and hasn’t appeared in a regular season game since 2013. The Niners, meanwhile, are on the lookout for receivers, since they could part ways with Michael Crabtree, Brandon Lloyd, and Stevie Johnson this month.
Appearing on SportsCenter today, cornerback Byron Maxwell suggested he would like to sign with a team that plays a Cover 3 scheme like the Seahawks do, tweets Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate. Of course, if a team running another coverage scheme makes Maxwell a big offer, I would guess he’d be willing to compromise that stance.
Lions offensive lineman Garrett Reynolds is expected to test the free agent market next week, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.

NFC South Notes: Ingram, Hardy, Winston

March 3rd, 2015 at 8:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Saints coach Sean Payton is making no secret of the fact that he wants to retain running back Mark Ingram, as Nick Underhill of The Advocate writes. “I spoke with him [on Monday],” Payton told Jennifer Hale of FOX Sports during Monday night’s broadcast of the Pelicans-Mavs game. “The good thing about Mark is that we’re real close with his agent. We work a lot with Joel [Segal]. Mickey will talk with him quite a bit. Obviously he’s someone that we want to keep. Hopefully we can do that.” Here’s more from the NFC South..

With his unrestricted free agency looming, Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy is scheduled to meet with NFL officials on Wednesday to discuss his domestic violence case, a league source tells Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Although formal charges against Hardy were dropped, the NFL has been conducting its own investigation into the alleged incident, and may still issue a suspension.
League officials have requested that Hardy give them all relevant information from his domestic violence case, including photos showing the crime scene and the injuries to his former girlfriend, as Christine Brennan of USA Today writes.
Florida State star Jameis Winston is in Tampa today to visit with the Buccaneers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The visit will be “Glazer-centric” and involve a lot of conversation between the quarterback and the team’s owners. The meeting might be unprecedented as potential No. 1 picks never visit with the team holding the top pick this early, Schefter adds (link). Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter) adds that it is a one day visit for Winston and not a three-day trip as previously reported.
Tight end Niles Paul will be on the Falcons‘ radar, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com writes. Paul has played in offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s scheme and would represent a solid addition at tight end without breaking the bank like Julius Thomas would. Former teammate Rex Grossman offered nothing but praise for Paul, who turns 26 in August. “He’s as tough as s—,” Grossman said of Paul. “He’s like the one guy in the locker room you do not want to pick a fight with. He’s just a tough wide receiver/tight end who shows up on special teams all the time.”

Panthers Willing To Move On From Greg Hardy

February 28th, 2015 at 2:16pm CST by Rob DiRe

With the league still deciding whether or not to suspend Greg Hardy, the Panthers have reportedly already made a decision on the All-Pro defensive end’s future with the team. The Panthers will not re-sign Hardy, instead allowing him to hit the open market during free agency, reports Bill Voth of the Black and Blue Review.

Voth writes that this official stance is not breaking news, but more of a closing the book on any chance of his return. According to Voth, owner Jerry Richardson is having difficulty coming to terms with the situation Hardy was in and does not want to deal with the potential suspension that will come out of it.

The Panthers are willing to let Hardy walk and accept the compensatory pick they receive for seeing him go in free agency.

Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk writes that if this was strictly about football that Hardy would be one of the marquee free agents available this March. Many teams would be interested in him, including the Falcons, Jaguars, Raiders, Bengals and Buccaneers. However, with no decision yet on his suspension, he will likely have a complicated status as a free agent.

AFC Mailbags: Bengals, Ravens, Jags, Raiders

February 28th, 2015 at 9:57am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday morning, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s start with some notes from the AFC…

With Robert Geathers now out of the picture, Coley Harvey believes there’s little chance that the Bengals move on from defensive tackle Domata Peko. While the 30-year-old didn’t have a great 2014 season, the writer opines that he played well at times, and Harvey notes that Peko is viewed as a leader in the locker room.
Considering the Bengals only have A.J. Green‘s future contract to worry about, Harvey could envision the team making a splash in free agency. The writer suggests Greg Hardy and Jerry Hughes as options, but he warns that the duo may prove to be too pricey.
If the Ravens lose out on Justin Forsett in free agency, Jamison Hensley says the team will pursue a running back in both the draft and free agency. The team still hopes to keep the veteran back, though, especially considering his impact on younger players.
Hensley isn’t worried if Torrey Smith ultimately decides to leave Baltimore. When taking a look at potential cap casualties in the wideout market, the writer points to Saints wideout Marques Colston as being an option for the Ravens.
Michael DiRocco says the Jaguars focus heading into free agency is acquiring a wideout, a right tackle and a “pass-catching” tight end. The writer suggest Randall Cobb, Bryan Bulaga and Julius Thomas for each of the three, respective positions.
Bill Williamson believes the Raiders could trade their first-round pick as they look to compile as many selections as possible.

Greg Hardy To Seek Immediate Reinstatement

February 26th, 2015 at 2:51pm CST by Luke Adams

2:51pm: According to Person (Twitter links), NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy responded with the following statement: “He hasn’t been disciplined. There is nothing for him to seek reinstatement from at this point.” As I noted below, since the league is still reviewing Hardy’s case, no suspension has been announced yet, whereas Peterson’s quest for reinstatement came after he had served his six-game suspension. So while Hardy could try to push for an expedited ruling, his case isn’t quite at the same point as Peterson’s was.

1:34pm: In the wake of a court’s ruling to overrule an NFL arbitrator’s decision in Adrian Peterson‘s case, embattled Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy will seek immediate reinstatement, a league source tells Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). For now, Hardy remains on the commissioner’s exempt list as the league completes its review of the domestic violence charges against Hardy that were dismissed in court several weeks ago.

In rejecting arbitrator Harold Henderson’s decision in the Peterson case today, Judge David Doty ruled that the NFL was improperly applying its new personal conduct policy to a case that was already in progress prior to the introduction of that policy. If the old policy should have been applied to Peterson, that should be true for Hardy as well, meaning the Carolina pass rusher wouldn’t necessary be subject to a six-game suspension (or more) for his alleged off-field actions.

Of course, even if Hardy’s case was being evaluated using the league’s old policy, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the defensive end will avoid discipline of any kind — he could still face a suspension. However, pushing for immediate reinstatement may accelerate the NFL’s decision-making process, which could mean that Hardy’s situation would at least be resolved by the time he’s eligible to hit the open market next month.

Even if he were hit with a two-game ban, which was the standard in the league’s old conduct policy, Hardy and his potential suitors could go into the free agent period knowing exactly when he’ll return to the field. That would help bring the market for his services into focus.

Combine Pressers: Texans, Giants, Panthers

February 19th, 2015 at 12:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we recapped some noteworthy comments made by head coaches and general managers who spoke to the media this morning at the combine in Indianapolis. Those press conferences will continue through the afternoon until Falcons head coach Dan Quinn wraps things up with his appearance at 3:00pm central time. Here are some highlights from a few of the recent sessions, with all links going to the Twitter accounts of reporters in attendance:

Texans general manager Rick Smith and head coach Bill O’Brien:

Asked about how Larry Fitzgerald‘s new contract with the Cardinals might apply to Andre Johnson‘s situation in Houston, Smith said the club may have to address the veteran wideout’s cap number, but hopes to see him spend his entire career with the Texans.
Smith was very impressed with what he saw from quarterback Ryan Mallett in 2014, and said it was “apparent” he’d picked up leadership traits from Tom Brady during his time with the Pats. Both Smith and O’Brien said they’re hopeful Mallett, a free-agent-to-be, will be back in Houston. That’s not an uncommon sentiment at this time of year, but the enthusiasm coming from the Texans’ brass for Mallett seems genuine, and I’d be surprised if he ends up elsewhere.
Smith also expressed interest in re-signing cornerback Kareem Jackson.
While re-signing Mallett is a priority, the Texans intend to look at all the draft-eligible quarterbacks in this year’s class, though the top two likely won’t be available by the time the team picks in the first round.
O’Brien believes Arian Foster has plenty of football left in him, but wants to try to manage his workload going forward, and identified running back as a position where the team could look to add someone.
O’Brien called Case Keenum a “very viable” quarterback option for the Texans, though it’s not clear if the head coach meant as a starter, or simply as a piece on the 53-man roster.

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin:

The Giants’ goal is to keep Jason Pierre-Paul on their roster not just for 2015, but for many years beyond that, according to Coughlin, who wants to see JPP retire as a Giant. “How that works out remains to be seen,” he added.
Asked about his own contract situation, Coughlin said that it’s been set in motion and he hopes to be able to provide an update soon on that front. It sounds as if he may be in line for another one-year contract extension.
Coughlin had nothing but praise for safety Antrel Rolle, whom he wants to re-sign, but added that the team “obviously” has some financial limitations. The head coach wasn’t quite as enthusiastic when asked about bringing back defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, declining to comment on whether there’s still a place for Kiwanuka on the roster.

Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman:

While he thinks the Panthers’ salary cap situation is in a better place than it used to be, Gettleman cautioned that Carolina is “still not out of the hole,” adding that the team wants to make sure to do things right.
According to Gettleman, he walked into a situation in which the Panthers had a ton of money tied up in running backs, and is still working his way through it. The GM acknowledged that he has spoken to DeAngelo Williams since the season ended, but declined to say whether the veteran back will remain on the team’s roster for 2015.
Although he wasn’t talking specifically about Greg Hardy, Gettleman rhetorically asked, “Who wants a ticking time bomb?” when discussing the possibility of drafting or signing players with a history of domestic violence.
As for Hardy, Gettleman told reporters he has nothing to say about the free agent pass rusher as long as he’s still on Carolina’s exempt list.