It’s a storyline that seems to be reported anew on a weekly basis. But really, it’s just one story, the same old story, being regurgitated over and over again.
It’s “Greg Hardy and the Cowboys”… and at some point, we need to let it die.
The latest round comes courtesy of the Dallas Morning News, advancing the ball in a sense because there is a quote from COO Stephen Jones noting that Hardy is “a free agent we haven’t had discussions with, if you want to say that.” That says plenty, and only in the highly unlikely event that Dallas shifts gears here do they need to say any more.
Hardy totaled six sacks in 12 games with Dallas last year, earning $9 million. But this decision isn’t about the price tag or on-field performance … and it’s not even about Hardy’s domestic-violence history.
It’s about off-field stuff, and “The Uptown Flu,’’ as I’ve termed it, a level of behavior and unreliability that just before February 22 caused a high-placed team exec to say “we’re done’’ with the player.
Look at Dallas’ actions (in the spotlight and in the shadows) since that time and you see confirmation. The Cowboys are wrapping their heads around the possibility of taking defensive end Joey Bosa in the NFL Draft. Some of their visits with other prospects include more defensive ends who figure to be available in later rounds.
They attempted to recruit defensive end Chris Long in free agency before he signed with the Patriots and now they’ve got an offer sheet on restricted pass-rusher Benson Mayowa, who the Raiders have until Wednesday to match or lose.
The “Greg Hardy and the Cowboys’’ story can be a story again, any time the owner of the team says it is so. But the football people at Valley Ranch have spoken on Hardy… and as a result, the management people haven’t even spoken to Hardy.
