Ray Rice wants back in to the NFL, but his skills aren’t sufficiently unique. Greg Hardy’s apparently still are.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, free-agent defensive end Greg Hardy spent the last two days visiting with and working out for the Jaguars.
Hardy, who spent last season with the Cowboys, has become a notorious figure in league circles, due to his May 2014 domestic violence incident and ensuing suspension and some of his behavior during his only season in Dallas. His efforts to find new employment since becoming a free agent in March had, to date, been unsuccessful.
The Jaguars have been compiling talented players on both sides of the ball, and the football operation realizes that time is running short to become a true contender. With Hardy in the rotation at pass rusher in a division with quarterbacks like Andrew Luck, Marcus Mariota, and Brock Osweiler, the Jacksonville defense could be improved.
The move isn’t without P.R. risk, and the reaction locally and nationally to the news of the flirtation with Hardy could influence whether he’s signed. Is the criticism is loud and widespread, they may back away. If the news comes and goes without a major fracas or brouhaha, maybe they’ll roll the dice.
But if the goal is to win games and if coach Gus Bradley believes he can manage Hardy and if the organization is willing to take the heat for giving Hardy his latest second chance, Hardy could be getting a chance to earn a roster spot during training camp and the preseason.