Cowboys: Will The Cowboys Re-Sign Troublesome DE?
By Dink Kearney
The Dallas Cowboys are in desperate need of a defensive end, but the will they sign this controversial edge rusher who can improve their defense.
Besides debating on whether to draft a quarterback, one glaring need for the Dallas Cowboys is a pass rusher. The Cowboys recorded a paltry 31 sacks last season. To put this sack total into perspective, the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos registered 63 total sacks.
Combined with a lackluster secondary, you can understand why the Dallas defense ranked near the bottom in the league in turnovers last season.
One of the fastest ways to fix this issue is for the Cowboys to re-sign defensive end Greg Hardy, the controversial player who keeps putting his foot in his mouth.
However, the question is will the Cowboys brass re-sign the troublesome pass rusher? It’s a question that has been asked by many Cowboys fans and media alike.
As of right now, Hardy remains an unsigned free agent.
Since Hardy joined the Cowboys last March as a free agent, the talented pass rusher has done nothing but create dramatic headlines and fail to live up to being the dominant defensive end who led the league in sacks a few seasons ago.
In a recent interview with ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Hardy denied during a one-on-one interview that he has ever hit a woman.
"“I’ve never put my hand on any woman. In my whole entire life, no sir,” he said, adding that he was raised never to hit a woman and that violence against his siblings — brother or sister — wasn’t tolerated."
Hardy was talking about the unfortunate 2014 incident involving former girlfriend Nicole Holder in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he played for the Carolina Panthers, and said he never hit her.
After watching that interview, I felt like Hardy had done more damage than good, continuing to make himself look bad and not showing any contrition at all. In fact, Hardy just picked up where he left off in terms of looking unbelievable and showing no remorse.
Owner and general manager Jerry Jones caught a lot of heat for signing Hardy in the first place, a move that was done more in desperation than anything else. The Cowboys needed to upgrade their porous pass rush, and the sack artist was available for an incentive-based contract.
However, with Hardy only recording six total sacks last season, and the emotional baggage he carries, you wonder if Jones will bring him back. As it stands right now, Hardy is still unsigned, and the aforementioned interview didn’t do him any favors.
It’s one thing to register 16 sacks, a bunch of quarterback hurries, and recover several fumbles, but it’s totally different when you are a mental case who lacks on field production.
Even the egotistical Jones has his limits, especially when a player like Hardy constantly causes drama off the field and is viewed as locker room cancer.
Jones has even defended Hardy’s actions after a verbal sideline altercation with wide receiver Dez Bryant and other teammates in a game against the New York Giants last season. The least Hardy can do is show remorse for his actions during an interview dealing with domestic violence.
When given the opportunity to clarify his statements or to show some type of contrition, Hardy looks more like the villain he’s portrayed to be.
When Schefter told Hardy about the pictures of Nicole Holder having several bruises on her body, his response was nonchalant to say the least.
"“Pictures are pictures, and they can be made to look like whatever they want to,” he said. “I didn’t say I didn’t do anything wrong. That situation occurred and that situation was handled, but as a man you can’t avoid situations that aren’t your fault or are your fault,” he said."
Statements like that make it hard to support Hardy, whether you’re Jones or the most die hard Cowboys fan. I’m all for second chances, and believe the Cowboys should re-sign Hardy. However, you walk away wondering if this guy understands the severity of domestic violence, the responsibility of owning up to his actions.
As much as I, and many others, want to see Hardy wear that beloved “star” on his helmet, this pass rusher needs to show some form of compassion, humility, and ownership to the victim.
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If Hardy can do that and show that he’s a real leader, like Jones believes him to be, maybe he can wear that “star”.
If not, then Hardy can continue to live up to being the villain and domestic violence abuser everyone believes him to be.
The Dallas Cowboys are in desperate need of a defensive end, but the will they sign this controversial edge rusher who can improve their defense.
Besides debating on whether to draft a quarterback, one glaring need for the Dallas Cowboys is a pass rusher. The Cowboys recorded a paltry 31 sacks last season. To put this sack total into perspective, the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos registered 63 total sacks.