Raiders have interest in Greg Hardy

Posted by PlexusGroupe on March 13, 2015, 12:17 AM EDT
AP

One of the top-rated free agents left in the Class of 2015 has caught the eye of the Raiders.

According to Jordan Schultz of the Huffington Post and NBC Sports Radio, the Raiders are “in discussions” with Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy.

PFT’s Mike Florio confirms the Raiders have interest in Hardy, who is on the Commissioner’s Exempt list stemming from domestic violence charges that were dismissed in February after he was found guilty in an earlier bench trial. The NFL has ruled that Hardy can sign with a club, though more discipline is possible.

The 26-year-old Hardy emerged as one of the NFL’s top pass rushers in 2012 and 2013, notching a combined 26 sacks in that span. However, he played in just one game a season ago before being placed on paid leave.

Several teams, including the Panthers, are known to not be interested in Hardy. But the Raiders appear to at least be looking into him.

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90 responses to “Raiders have interest in Greg Hardy”

  3. At this point, what do you have to lose if you’re Mark Davis? The perception of the franchise is at an all time low. Winning games, regardless of personnel, is the one and only way to change that.
    Sign the man. Do it.

  4. I mean, are the raiders gonna turn their up on him after nobody wanting to come to Oakland?

  5. Man if the Raiders could get this guy, it would be huge. this is a high risk/high reward guy but man, the damage he could do with Mack, Williams, Smith, Tuck and now Lofton. Man oh man, this could get interesting for us Raider fans.

  7. Mack and Hardy coming at you! If this goes down, Peyton and Rivers retire tomorrow.

  9. I’m conflicted. He is innocent until proven guilty…which he was…but then its dismissed… but even if he is guilty, doesn’t he get another chance in life… but he hit a some…who does that except scumbags…but the charges were dropped. I dont get.

  16. While Oakland has been adamant about keeping a high character locker room, McKenzie is on record saying you cant rule anyone out.

    Being that we’re likely to miss out on Williams and with all the question marks on fowler, and Gregory, this signing would improve our FA aquisitions tremendously. Sack total of the entire team would increase a bunch, it would free us up to take a WR in round one, and allow the defense to operate from a variety if looks…

    Truly the splash aquisition the Raiders desperately need to take this defense to the next level.

  17. There aren’t too many people who could make it out unscathed after having their scorned ex air out the dirty laundry.

    Let’s give this man his second chance with an incentive laden contract and see what happens.

  18. The NFL front office is ridiculous. They wait and wait and wait until hey feel people have forgotten about them unless it’s a small money market team. If the player plays for a big money team the issue is usually taken care of quickly. Or at least they make it look like a punishment. AP really just missed games. Games they were not going to win and he got paid. Hardy could have helps but they made an example. Same with Washington from AZ. They could have used him Bigtime. His situation is easier than Hardys yet we don’t even hear Washingtons name??

  21. The time has come for the Raiders to once again be hated. Sign this guy, put him out there and let his play do the talking. I’m sure he will be highly motivated. When you are as low as the Raiders are now, would you rather be respected for your high character sucky roster or be feared as a stout pass rushing team that gets after it?
    The old man made it a point to sign rejects, malcontents and hard cases if it meant winning. What reputation do you have left to protect? Just Win, it will change everything.

  26. Make it happen. Step up to the place Reggie!!! You’ve struck out on all the other big name FA’s. Get it done & save your job bruh.

  29. Coaches an gm’s jobs hinge on wins and losses. Not the character of the man making the play. That’s the world we live in. Deal with it or watch something else. I’ll bet you don’t.

  33. Considering their FA ‘splash’ signing is the back-up LB for the Seahawks who happened to somehow win an SB MVP over Russell, Kam and Percy… any of them had more to do with the win then Smith.

    Go ahead Raider nation and be proud!

    You may be better then the 49ers this year, too.

  35. I knew it. If Goddell would just levy the fine so teams know what his status will be, then the Raiders will make a play for him.

    If they sign him ………….then the 1st few picks will all be on offense to give Carr something to work with!!!

    Goddell??? Get off your arse, either suspend the guy or let him walk so we can get this done.

  40. If Raiders can get Hardy this free agency will be a success. He can bring much needed pass rush the d-line despretly needs.
    Adding someone like him at his age and talent would help Raiders defence for years to come.
    Tuck will not be around for more then his contract so we still need to get someone to take his place there are alot of good pass rushers in this draft that we can pick up that could grow into really good talent playing along side someone like Greg Hardy the one they call the Kracken. At this moment i give Reggie about a B with what he has done so far in this free agency because he has gotten no pass rushers. Adding the Kracken would give him an A adding Tramon Williams to help with the young DB on the team would give him A+ along with getting another WR like Cecil Shorts.

  46. Hardy has a dark cloud that will forever follow him and rightfully so, but to get a young 26 year old pass rushing freak at a discount due to his history is not a bad move. Morals aside, I’d be okay with my team pursuing him. Give him a “prove it” style contract with incentives and I could envision it being a good signing, especially if he can get into a locker room with strong, positive, leaders.

  47. Sign him big Reg! Guy had charges dropped, sounds like he got in some late night drunken beef with his gf, hopefully he learned his lesson and won’t get in that position again.

  49. Do it PLEEEEEEAAAASE give him some guaranteed money and some behavior insentives we need impact players desperately our pass rush was terrible last year he will help with that. Come on Reggie get is done!!

  52. This is hard to believe because Al Davis was really against domestic violence.

    I hope it’s just a rumor, I don’t want this turd on the team.

  56. This would be a great signing. Then we could focus mainly on the offense in the draft. But knowing the NFL they’ll give him a huge suspension if he signs with the RAIDERS even tho he already lost a season.

  57. Great player but after what he did i would stay away completely.

    Mark Davis talked about violence towards women last year and after what happened to Freddie B’s daughter i hope they dont go near Hardy at all.

    Usual story, if he was a 3rd stringer every team would say ‘not interested’, but when youre a talented player who ‘somehow’ wasnt convicted in court then he’ll get a chance sadly

  59. Of course they would be interested in him, their the Raiders!!!! Stay classy! Right Joe!?!

  60. Do it Reggie, make it a long term deal(5-6 years) because you may not have him much this first year, you got the cash, now pay this mutha

  61. raiderswin00 says:
    Mar 13, 2015 12:31 AM
    He better have a sit down with Freddy B, and Mark Davis first.

    100% the most important point.

    Get him involved with the charity in a very legit manner and allow the man to get what most in this country are afforded and that’s a 2nd chance.

    The NFL and fans have known of most of the aspects of this case for months and months. He’s been suspended since week 2. He’s been aquitted. What is the NFL waiting for?

  62. No surprise, we knew this team of ALL teams in the league would express interest!! Hardy welcome to you new home buddy!

  64. but if charges were dismissed then why would he be facing discipline from the league

    He was convicted, but the laws of the state allowed him to appeal for a bench trial, which he did. During the interim, his accuser spent most of her time out of town shopping. When she wasn’t around for the trial, they dismissed the case.

    Having the money to make the legal situation go away does not equate to innocence.

  65. Sounds about right…..Veldheer gone….Wisniewski gone….going backwards as usual. Will they ever have continuity on their OLine ?

  66. wadinmypants says: Mar 13, 2015 12:28 AM

    Mack and Hardy coming at you! If this goes down, Peyton and Rivers retire tomorrow.
    ——————————————
    This combo still won’t be half as good as Miller and Ware.

  67. I’ve been a Raider fan forever and I am also conflicted on this. The Raiders are in a tough situation where they need talent and its right here for the taking. Back in the day, Al would have signed a guy like this in a heartbeat but times are different now. If they sign him, I would make the contract so restrictive that even if he throws a piece of gum on the ground he’s gone. Someone is going to take a chance on this guy, it might as well be us. Then I’ll really see how I feel. Raider for life!

  69. 1. sign hardy 2. sign chris culliver cb 3. trade for adrian peterson 4 . sign ray rice 5. sign percy harvin . who care’s what the rest of the world thinks ? al davis would have signed all of the above players and won games in his prime. just sign them all on cap friendly short term contracts filled with incentives and morals and behavior clauses .

  70. My old lady loves it when I lay her down on a bed of assault rifles . Greg Hardy is the victim and I for one would welcome him … to Raider Nation !! …Go Raiders !

  71. You haters once again are just flapping your gums: he’s by far the best free agent still available. Believe this: 20 teams are interested in Greg Hardy. Most don’t have the cap room.

    Whoever gets him gets Rumplestiltskins Deal of a Lifetime.

  74. I thought Hardy was a dirt bag too. Then I read the details of the case and listened to the 911 calls…..his and the neighbors. He didn’t really sound angry or out of it. He just seemed very confused about what he could do. He kept asking the 911 operator how to get her out when she is throwing and breaking things, but he can’t touch her. Remember, he called 911 first. Does that happen in typical domestic violence cases much?

    She said that he chocked her out, threw her down into the bathtub…and even reportedly picked her up over his head and threw her down in a futon full of loaded assault weapons. That sounds horrible, but I have yet to see a single picture of her injuries. Maybe there are some, but I’m just saying that we got pictures of Peterson’s kid pretty quickly. On top of that, he was convicted, by a female judge not a jury….and even she only gave him 18 months probation and I think 60 days suspended sentence. Does that sound like justice for a guy his size trying to kill her?

    Once she walked away from the trial the charges were dropped…which leads me to believe there was never any actual evidence to support her accusations in the first place. She was also drunk and allegedly on cocaine…plus she started the evening off by telling people she was going to get Hardy to pay her rent. I made poor assumptions about this guy too. I’m not saying he’s innocent. I’m just saying that she is no angel and that there is more to this story than she would like you to believe.

    Hardy is a giant man. If he beat her like she said, she would have like been fighting for her life in an intensive care unit. Hell, most of us grown men would be too…don’t you think? Just saying that I’m a little suspect about this whole case. It’s not Ray Rice or AP. The circumstances are very different.

  75. wise1withknowledge says:
    Mar 13, 2015 1:20 AM
    The Raiders have had a tough go at free agency this year. If they could add Hardy, Gresham and Harvin/Bowe/Crabtree, they will have finished strong.
    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

    I’m not sure what you mean by a ‘tough go at free agency this year’. I”m saying that seriously. Other than Suh or Revis, WHO are these dynamic, franchise-changing agents we’ve missed on? Actual FAs, not guys we hoped would hit the market and re-upped with their current team.

    Other than Hardy, I don’t get the excitement over ANY of the names you listed. While I think Gresham would be a nice addition, the fans in Cinci aren’t crying because he’s gone. Harvin isn’t worth the hassle, Bowe has been useless for 5 years and Crabtree is terribly over-rated (like Pot Roast, he sure isn’t worth what he THINKS he’s worth).

    We’ve ‘failed’ to land a RB who had 400 touches last year and a history of injury (plus concerns over being that good or a product of a great O-Line), a DT who WAY over-valued himself and thought a fancy nick-name was worth $8 mil a year (signing, I hear for half that on a 1-year deal), and a WR coming off two ACL injuries. Cromartie was going to NY the moment Revis signed (and I’m unsure he’s worth all the cash anyway as I tend to like my corners to actually know how to tackle).

    Reggie’s brought us a BIG upgrade at C, more help in the blocking game (our TEs couldn’t block), a new Quarterback on D in Lofton (a HUGE upgrade over Burris who was starting out of position), a talented DT (whose fans of his old team showered praise on), solid depth at RB and a S who may actually play up to his potential now that he’s out of Philly (lord knows, NO ONE looks good in that secondary under Kelly).

    I love what Reggie’s done in FA this year – all solid moves that I see real improvement in (not just ‘filling a roster’) and NO stupid contracts.

    Now, while I do tend to like the ‘high-character guys’ Reggie’s brought in via draft and FA, I do also think he’s purged enough of the stink from our locker room and we have ENOUGH of those ‘good guys’ to bring in a guy like Hardy, who wants to be a bad man both on and off the field. He knows he needs to keep his nose clean and he likely feels like he has something to prove after a year away. The Kraken seems like a natural fit to roam the seas of the Silver & Black!

    ONE NATION

  76. Toadman Reg is swinging at grounders now, trying to do anything to validate his existence as Raider GM. Train wreck free agency. What else would you expect?

  78. I think Hardy would be an excellent acquisition by the Raiders. The guy is still young and his productivity is well-documented. And he would fill a glaring area of need. Yes, he’s had off-field issues but there’s no evidence that he’s a cancer in the locker room. The key would be to sign him to a contract that is within reason.

    Now I’m sure that if he was signed by the Raiders, the trolls would be out in force claiming that because of his off-field behavior, he was a ‘perfect match for Oakland’. But the reality is that there is not a single other team out there that has not had their own share of players with questionable character.

  80. Still several players out there that could help this team go get them Reggie Hardy and Harvin and Crabtree Gresham just put language in the contracts that protect the Raiders

  81. Hardy was never proven innocent, the charges were dropped when his ex mysteriously got rich and disappeared to Europe for a 3 month vacation during the court process. He was never found innocent. Just dubious. Dubious.

  82. Scorned ex? Read the transcripts; he is not innocent; he was found guilty but appealed and during the appeal and bought off the girl. He’s a scumbag, abusive guy that made what Ray Rice did look like patty cake.

    What about all the stories that never get told her seen? If it wasn’t for tmz we wouldn’t know anything about Ray Rice.

    Few football players don’t have issues. Peyton Manning was accused of sexual assault at Tennessee and many felt he got away with it.

    That said this isn’t church. I dont’ look up to ANY athlete or celeb for morals or character. This is about winning. Sign him. The Raiders have done NOTHING to help their pass rush this year which was next to last last year. If they dont fix their pass rush, nothing much is going to change.

  83. I wonder what the stats are for men convicted for DV vs those not convicted. If a woman calls 911 and says ” he hit me” and then slaps her own arm leaving a red mark the cops will take the man away no questions asked. If the woman goes to court and says “yes he hit me” and the prosecutor shows pictures of the red mark , the man will be convicted. It’s just how it works. He was smart to appeal it I’m sure his reps talked to the “victim ” and being what seems like. Money hungry woman , she accepted a payment. It most likely cost him less then what the lawyers would have charged him. The NFL is on high alert for DV after the Ray rice case
    My question is this , if he choked her and threw her down, there would have been marks and bruises and the cops would have taken pictures of the injuries , so where are these pictures ? You’d think
    TMZ would have been able to dig them up by now.
    Sign the guy and have precautions in his contract.

  84. Lock him up Raiders….he already wears the War Paint!!!! Great Fit.

    Al “Dookie Chain” Davis – RIP

  85. the real question for reggie is “WHY NOT?”

    Unless you are willing to take a DE at #4 you better sign him( or maybe Orchard in rd 2….bottom line we need somebody on the edge who can get to the QB.

  86. I like the Raiders thinking here as Hardy would fit their system really well – as in their disregard for the legal system.

  87. The raiders are so far under the cap they’re about to break league rules for underspending.

    Greg Hardy and other radioactive guys are going to wind up in silver and black if only because Mark Davis can’t get anybody to take his money. Seriously, we could be looking at a backfield of Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, and Percy Harvin before training camp is done.

  90. I will be very surprised if the Raiders tried to sign Hardy. Mark Davis has been one of the most outspoken owners in the league against domestic violence. With what happened to Freedy Bs daughter signing Hardy would require a face to face between Mark and The player. His production would be a great fit for the team but some things are more important.

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