Greg

Hardy

There have been mixed reports on Oakland’s supposed pursuit of Hardy, but most local reporters say there’s nothing cooking. It would, of course, be beneficial for Hardy to be linked to the Raiders, who have enough cap space to drive up the price on any player.

The Raiders have to spend their money on something, and Hardy is by far the highest-upside player remaining in free agency. The problem is that he’s still facing league discipline for his 2014 domestic-violence arrest. With his market bottomed out, Hardy may also be loath to take anything other than a one-year, “prove-it” deal. Hardy has reportedly also drawn “cursory interest” from the 49ers.

“At this point we don’t have any intentions of doing anything with him,” McKenzie said. “His situation is a delicate one. He has something ongoing with the league also.” Hardy is easily the most-talented player left on the market, but remains on the Commissioner’s Exempt list and could be looking at a short suspension.

Hardy is pushing 300 pounds and 14 percent body fat after playing last season at 280. He faded badly down the stretch last season after impressing early on with QB hurries and batting passes. Although three bills is rather large for the edge in a 4-3 scheme, GM Marty Hurney is content that the gain is “good weight.”

Although Hardy has not “started” Carolina’s first three games, he’s played extensively in nickel packages, displacing RE Antwan Applewhite. Hardy has 11 tackles on the year. The Panthers’ defense could go from bad to worse without their primary right defensive end. Look for Atlanta’s offense to stay hot on Sunday.

There’s a bit of a bug going through the meeting room. Hardy made the news this summer after he bulked up to 300 pounds, a rather large amount for a 4-3 defensive end. Kearse was a seventh-round pick of the Dolphins in 2011. Look for a rotation at the end spot opposite Charles Johnson if Hardy is forced to miss.

Hardy is coming off a 61-tackle, 11-sack campaign and is owed just $1.35 million in the final year of his rookie contract. But the Panthers are strapped against the cap and the defensive end market has gone soft. Hardy needs to play out this season at the same level as last year and he’ll get paid as an unrestricted free agent.

The 6-foot-4 pass-rusher played at 297 pounds last season. He says he’s down to 283. The third-year pro is coming off a breakout, 11-sack campaign. “I feel like I’m the best to ever live,” Hardy said Thursday. “And if I’m not, I’ll be here tomorrow and Monday fixing that problem.” Going into the final year of his rookie contract, Hardy is going to get paid if his 2013 goes anything like this 2012.

That would more than double Michael Strahan’s single-season record of 22.5 sacks. Needless to say, we don’t share Hardy’s optimism. That being said, Hardy emerged last season as a dominant pass rusher, and a sack total in the high teens is certainly within the realm of possibility. In a contract year, Rotoworld IDP maven Jeff Ratcliffe likes Hardy as a Top 10 defensive end for 2013.

Hardy is dealing with a death in his family and did not travel with the team to New Orleans. Carolina told Hardy to take as much time as he needed. He’ll finish the season with 61 tackles and 11 sacks. Hardy will enter the final year of his rookie deal in 2013 and could be an extension candidate this offseason. Frank Alexander and Mario Addison will fill in at right end this week.