Brady Poppinga: Greg Hardy Huge Risk For Cowboys On And Off The Field

There’s no doubt the Dallas Cowboys’ one-year deal with defensive end Greg Hardy has caused a lot of controversy, but will it end up being worth it for America’s Team?

Hardy missed all but one game of the 2014 season after being found guilty of domestic violence in July and subsequently appealing the conviction. And while there’s no doubt that Hardy is a great player, former Green Bay Packers linebacker Brady Poppinga believes Hardy’s off-field issues combined with the fact that he’s in an entirely new defense pose a huge risk for the Cowboys.

“We have yet to hear a public apology or admission of any wrong-doing from Hardy’s camp to the domestic violence victim or his former team, the (Carolina) Panthers, for missing all but one game and becoming a distraction to his teammates, coaches, and organization,” Poppinga wrote in his latest FootballByFootball.com column. “At one point last July, Hardy did state to reporters that ‘I hate that I have distracted my team.’ But that’s about it.”

What’s more, Hardy won’t have the same defensive advantages in Dallas as he did in Charlotte.

“When you break down Hardy on film, the high-level success in 2013 that thrust him into that top tier has been a product of working with two guys who not only demand the majority of the attention of the offensive line, but who push the pocket to where the quarterback is unable to step up and throw,” Poppinga wrote. “The two players to whom I’m referring are Charles Johnson and Star Lotulelei. Because of their presence, Hardy was left in many one-on-one situations, which is every pass rusher’s hope.”