Hardy’s Ban Cut to Four Games

The Kraken will be released sooner than expected.

Greg Hardy, who joined the Cowboys this offseason after five seasons in Carolina, saw his 10-game suspension reduced to four games on Friday.

The league suspended Hardy back in April for his role in a domestic violence case. Hardy spent the final 15 weeks of last season on the Commissioner’s Exempt List (essentially a paid suspension). His appeal was heard by neutral arbitrator Harold Henderson.

“After consideration of all the record evidence and arguments, I conclude that the Commissioner acted within his authority and properly exercised his discretion in finding that Hardy violated the NFL Personal Conduct Policy,” Henderson said in a statement.

“I find that the conduct of Hardy clearly violates the letter and spirit of any version of the PCP since its inception, and of the NFL Constitution and Bylaws long before then. The egregious conduct exhibited here is indefensible in the NFL. However, 10 games is simply too much, in my view, of an increase over prior cases without notice such as was done last year, when the ‘baseline’ for discipline in domestic violence or sexual assault cases was announced as a six-game suspension. Therefore, the discipline of Mr. Hardy hereby is modified to a suspension of four games; all other terms of the discipline letter remain in place.”

The reduced suspension provides a big break for the Cowboys, who need as many quality pass rushers as they can get. It’s also a boon for Hardy, whose incentive-laden contract pays him on a per-game basis.

Hardy was initially found guilty of domestic violence against his ex-girlfriend, Nicole Holder. However, he appealed that decision and the charges were eventually dropped after he paid Holder a financial settlement in exchange for her refusal to cooperate in any further action against him.

Hardy’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, says his client is still considering further legal action to have the suspension reduced further or eliminated altogether. If the suspension stands as is, Hardy will be eligible to return for a Week 5 game against the Patriots. That is the same week LB Rolando McClain returns from his four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.

That Cowboys-Patriots game is also when Tom Brady is scheduled to return from his four-game suspension for his involvement in the “Deflate Gate” scandal, although like Hardy, Brady’s suspension is expected to be reduced.

As for the Cowboys, they are just happy their prized pass rusher will be on the field to chase the reigning Super Bowl MVP.

“We are looking forward to the start of the season and having Greg be a part of the team,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement.

NFLPA to Investigate Collusion Claim

The Cowboys and Broncos were already dealing with plenty of drama as they try to hammer out long-term contracts for Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas, respectively, ahead of Wednesday’s deadline for franchise-tagged players.

That uphill battle became even steeper on Friday when it was revealed the NFLPA is investigating the possibility that team officials in Dallas and Denver had illegal conversations regarding the contract numbers being offered to Bryant and Thomas.

The NFLPA believes the two franchises indeed had contact about each receiver’s contract, which is banned by the collective bargaining agreement. The player’s association is still trying to determine when to file a potential claim; it is possible the claim could be filed after Wednesday’s deadline.

The Cowboys and Bryant were reportedly on the verge of completing a seven-year contract last week, although things have gone quiet in the days since. Bryant has threatened to sit out the first game or two of the regular season if he does not get a long-term deal completed by Wednesday. Because Bryant cannot sign a long-term deal after the deadline, his only motivation for holding out would be the force the Cowboys to promise not to use the franchise tag on him again in the future.

“This is not a rumor,” Bryant told NFL Media columnist Michael Silver of his holdout plans. “It’s legit.”

Thomas wants “Calvin Johnson money,” according to the Denver Post. Johnson signed an eight-year, $150.5 million contract back in 2012. That deal should come as a warning sign for the Broncos, as Johnson began to show signs of slowing down last season and still has five years and nearly $100 million remaining on his contract.

Two players who will be paying close attention to these negotiations are Julio Jones and A.J. Green, both of whom are entering contract years and anticipating massive extensions of their own.

Khan Not Ready to Hop the Pond

The lines connecting the Jaguars to London are not hard to follow. In addition to the Jaguars’ agreement to play one game a year in London (a deal that runs just through 2016, for now), team owner Shad Khan recently expressed interest in purchasing the English soccer club Tottenham Hotspur.

This follows the NFL’s 10-year deal with Hotspur this week to host games in a new North London stadium.

Khan has praised the London experience but, contrary to some reports, has no desire to make it a permanent one.

The London Evening Standard reported Khan is interested in buying the Spurs and moving the Jaguars to London. There may have been some assumptions going into this reports, as Khan already owns second-division Fulham. Regardless of where this news angle came from, Jaguars officials were quick to shoot it down.

“These reports are total nonsense and complete fiction,” a spokesman for Khan said.

The Jaguars have long been the subject of relocation rumors. The team was once pegged as a candidate for Los Angeles, although that list has since been whittled down to the Rams, Raiders and Chargers. Now the rumor mill has the compass pointed towards London, where the Jaguars have become the city’s unofficial home team.

NFL international chief Mark Waller has said the NFL plans to have a team in London full-time by 2022. By that time, the Jaguars’ rebuilding plan may finally be complete.

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