Report: DE Greg Hardy will not return to Panthers

mcnuttz said:

This guy could go crazy on anyone, including the owner.

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You make a compelling argument

townsend said:

Fuck that guy. I can play devils advocate for Ray Rice. But Hardy is a nut job who will kill someone eventually.

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Locally, the woman does not carry a good rep. Since the charges have been dismissed, this guy vaults to the top of the wish list.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Domestic violence charges against Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy have been dismissed, with his accuser not making herself available to help with the case, prosecutors announced Monday.

Hardy's appeal of the 2014 conviction was scheduled to begin Monday morning at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse, but his accuser, ex-girlfriend Nicole Holder, did not show up for the hearing.

In a statement explaining the decision to dismiss charges, the district attorney's office said it has "reliable information" that Holder and Hardy have reached a civil settlement and that she has "intentionally made herself unavailable to the State."

"Without her testimony, in this particular instance, the State could not proceed," the district attorney's office said.

Hardy requested the jury trial July 15 after Mecklenburg District Court Judge Rebecca Thorne Tin found the 2013 Pro Bowl selection guilty of assaulting and threatening Holder. Under North Carolina law, his appeal set aside the guilty verdict.

Prosecutors last spoke with Holder in November, and at that time she indicated she wasn't interested in participating in another trial. She has not spoken with them since then, they said in the statement.

Hardy left the courthouse without comment.

He played only one game last season but received $13.1 million from Carolina after being designated the franchise tag in February.

Hardy was placed on the inactive roster in Week 2, days after the NFL's climate regarding domestic violence changed with the release of a video showing then-Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice hitting his then-fiancée Janay Palmer in a casino elevator.

Hardy was placed on the commissioner's exempt list before Week 3 until his case was resolved. General manager Dave Gettleman said after the July 15 verdict that "what's happened with Greg is very concerning and disappointing."

"His status remains unchanged until we fully review the matter," the NFL said Monday.

Despite the charges being dismissed, sources told ESPN.com the Panthers are not expected to pursue Hardy once he becomes an unrestricted free agent on March 10.

Hardy would have been subject to a minimum six-week suspension by the NFL under the league's new code of conduct policy if he would have been found guilty.

ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter contributed to this report.

It's clear this man is the victim. Bring him in!

Without the charges hanging over his head, I'm all about bringing this guy in with the condition that there are hefty behavioral clauses in the contract.

He should not face any punishment from the NFL...nothing to punish him over. That works at our disadvantage though because he will get more money now because he will not be suspended.

Carp said:

He should not face any punishment from the NFL...nothing to punish him over. That works at our disadvantage though because he will get more money now because he will not be suspended.

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Yeah, it only takes 2 teams to bid up the price of the player and we wouldn't be the only team interested.

Carp said:

He should not face any punishment from the NFL...nothing to punish him over. That works at our disadvantage though because he will get more money now because he will not be suspended.

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He will definitely face punishment and it will be on the high end, he was convicted at one point.

The NFL will be overly cautious about backlash and he will get 6 games minimum, they already said they will not rely on the courts to act.

Hardy is their 1st test case of the new policy, can you imagine the uproar if he is not suspended.

Jiggyfly said:

He will definitely face punishment and it will be on the high end, he was convicted at one point.

The NFL will be overly cautious about backlash and he will get 6 games minimum, they already said they will not rely on the courts to act.

Hardy is their 1st test case of the new policy, can you imagine the uproar if he is not suspended.

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Not so sure about that.

Bleacher Report's Jason Cole reports it's "extremely unlikely" that free agent DE Greg Hardy faces "any kind of further punishment" from the league.

Per Cole, the league could go digging into Hardy's reported settlement with the victim of his summer assault, but it's unlikely the shield could get something it could use. Barring any unforeseen developments, Hardy should soon come off the commissioner's exempt list, and hit free agency as scheduled on March 10. Feb 9 - 1:24 PM

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Carp said:

Not so sure about that.

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I don't see how he does not get suspended and listening to the talking heads all day a lot of people agree.

I just don't see the NFL wanting to be 1st page news all over again.

Jiggyfly said:

I don't see how he does not get suspended and listening to the talking heads all day a lot of people agree.

I just don't see the NFL wanting to be 1st page news all over again.

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Depends on whether they think he will win an appeal. It makes them look even worse if they suspend him and it gets overturned.

I'm all for bringing this guy in but only if it is team friendly on many levels. If someone is willing to give the guy a mega-deal, so be it, his play on the field is worth it, but it's too much of a risk considering the off-field stuff.

Simpleton said:

I'm all for bringing this guy in but only if it is team friendly on many levels. If someone is willing to give the guy a mega-deal, so be it, his play on the field is worth it, but it's too much of a risk considering the off-field stuff.

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He's got a Tank Johnson like obsession with guns, but he can play and is a legit pass rusher. I'd take him in a second. Bring on the Kraken.

Clay_Allison said:

Depends on whether they think he will win an appeal. It makes them look even worse if they suspend him and it gets overturned.

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Not really because the NFL looks like they tried to be tough and were just overruled.

He's been on the exempt list for 14 games...I don’t see them tacking on 6 more.

Simpleton said:

I'm all for bringing this guy in but only if it is team friendly on many levels. If someone is willing to give the guy a mega-deal, so be it, his play on the field is worth it, but it's too much of a risk considering the off-field stuff.

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I'm ok with handing the dude some real money, I just want to make sure that we protect ourselves in the contract if the guy wigs out.

As weird as it sounds I think Garrett would be a good fit as his coach. He handled the Brent thing well this year and I think the team is in a place where they could handle this type of situation.

Or we could find our own elite pass rusher in the late rounds like Carolina did.

townsend said:

Fuck that guy. I can play devils advocate for Ray Rice. But Hardy is a nut job who will kill someone eventually.

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Could probably have said that about Charles Haley, we needed that then, and probably would be good now too!

Carp said:

He's been on the exempt list for 14 games...I don’t see them tacking on 6 more.

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He was paid the whole time.