Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy, who spent most of this season out of action while he faced charges of assaulting and threatening to kill his girlfriend Nicole Holder, will not have to go to jail.
Per The Charlotte Observer Holder did not want to go through another trial and reached a civil settlement with Hardy outside the courtroom. "Extraordinary measures" were reportedly taken to get Holder to talk, according to District Attorney Andrew Murray said in a statement.
The ramifications of this on Hardy's football career are unclear. He is a free agent this offseason, and it's unlikely the Carolina Panthers will bring him back. However, he is free to sign anywhere in the league and prior to last season, Hardy had recorded 39 sacks in three seasons, topping out with 16 in 2011.
Removing his legal issues and focusing solely on his production on the gridiron, Hardy would be one of the most sought-after free agents in the NFL. Teams thinking about signing Hardy will have to think long and hard about the bad publicity it might bring, as well as potential action that the league may take against him.
Hardy isn't alone in this situation either. Here are three other NFL free agents with some extra-heavy baggage this offseason.
Ray Rice, RB
No need to reshash too much here. Rice was once the face of the Baltimore Ravens franchise before he was caught on camera knocking out his then-fiancee in an Atlantic City elevator.
He was originally suspended for two games, then suspended indefinitely and cut by the team. The suspension was reversed, and Rice is now able to sign anywhere he'd like. The problem is that his production prior to the incident had been declining.
In 2013 he managed just 660 yards and four rushing touchdowns on 14 carries per game, a far cry from his peak of 1,364 yards and 12 scores just two seasons prior. Chances are Rice's name value will get him an opportunity somewhere, but it may be little more than an incentive-laden deal that doesn't even guarantee him a roster spot for Week 1 of the regular season.
Chris Johnson, RB
Johnson is technically still a New York Jet, but it's only a matter of time before the disappointing speedster is back on the market. His 4.3 yards per carry is deceiving; he spent most of the year looking worse than Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell, then got himself arrested this offseason for open carrying of a firearm. Johnson is 29 now, and last season was his first ever rushing for fewer than 1,000 yards.
Joseph Randle, RB
This is cheating a little, but Randle's recent legal woes might make a big difference in negotiations with the 2014 rushing king DeMarco Murray. As the NFL has become a passing league, running backs have become more expendable. The Cowboys have a tremendous offensive line, and backup Joseph Randle showed promise when given chances.
The problem is that Randle has been in trouble off the field. During the season he was caught stealing cologne and underwear from a departments store, then was picked up earlier this month for possession of marijuana. Now, the mother of his child is complaining about child support payments, and insinuating that Randle not only doesn't take part in his child's life, but that he tried to bribe her into having an abortion.
While Randle isn't facing jail time for any of this, it may make Dallas think twice about letting Murray leave.
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