Greg Hardy is finally going back to trial again. Yet the result of the case probably will not affect the Carolina Panthers and their future with Hardy. No, Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer reports that the Panthers will be moving on the former Pro Bowl pass rusher no matter what the result might be in the court room.
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The Panthers gained some flexibility in doing this through the play of the men who had to take Hardy’s place on the roster. That defensive line and its participants like Wes Horton, Mario Addison, and rookie Kony Ealy was good enough to get the Panthers to another division title in a watered down NFC South division. The defense rose late in the season to make the Panthers’ dream of the playoffs possible.
Therefore Hardy will not be coming back. Oh, he’s better than any single player that tried to replace him, but the domestic violence charge will cause the team to move on. It is uncertain what that means for Hardy’s career. He is too good to simply leave the League all together, and he could be out for six games if he is found guilty by the jury next week.
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So where could Hardy go? He seems like a best fit for a 4-3 defensive team, and it would have to be one that is not dealing with its own domestic violence issues. He would be a good fit for two of the Panthers’ divisional rivals, the Atlanta Falcons and the Tamp Bay Buccaneers. He would also be a good fit for the Chicago Bears as they rebuild their defense.
The most logical place for a proven vet with question marks to go is New England, but that would require Hardy to move to a 3-4 linebacker position. Anywhere Hardy goes will probably be less money than he thought he was worth last summer when he was franchised by the Panthers.
Person pointed out that the best thing for Hardy might be a short term contract with his next team in order to restore his value as a player. Then he could go get a big contract a year or two down the road. This might be the best case scenario for him if he is found guilty.