Say Hardy walks...

[Phantom]

Right now, Hardy is the biggest splash DE on the free agent market. Someone is willing to overpay for him. He had great numbers by the end of the year, but racked them up mainly in a handful of games rather than in week-to-week performance. He developed the Kraken persona which is just cartoonish enough for someone like the Vikings to bite on when they look to replace Jared Allen.

 

He's performed pretty well for our second DE and we should keep him if we can get him for around $1m a year. More than that and he'll never live up to the numbers.

 

[ItsPantone278]

Is this thread about about bringing in Decker?? I'd rather give Hixon some burn than bring fuging Decker in as some prized FA signing.. We'd look like a bunch of clowns if he went sub 1000 yards... and watching the offense this past season I have no reason to believe Decker is anywhere near the difference.. Would rather work these backs for tons of yards and build up the d..

The run game has to be there. I actually think we were close this year if we could have found some more consistency in the run game. I hope Amini and EDK can get healthy and get on the field. Maybe the Oline we have just healthy is the difference. Lets just say you can do a lot of things off play action.

[MHS831]

Here are some interesting observations that may help one deal with the loss of Hardy:

1.  CJ, Star, KK/Dwan, Luke and Davis drew a lot of attention.

2.  We faced a lot of teams with LT issues this year, and Hardy often had multiple sacks vs. those teams.

3. Many of Hardy's sacks were "motor" sacks.  He found the QB after being forced to navigate around in the pocket.  There were a few where he was not the first player to reach the QB. 

4.  Do you consider Hardy an "elite" player, or did he have a tremendous season due to the pieces around him?  I think Hardy is a good player, a very good player--I loved the pick when he was drafted---but there is a lot of risk involved in paying him top dollar. 

 

However, his agent will base his asking price on a few other observations:  15 sacks, 3rd in the league.  Pro Bowler.  There is a premium on getting to the QB in the NFL.  Hardy is going to get paid.  We may be 20+ million under the cap, but seriously, we are not using over half of that on one player.  I am guessing that we could do the following on what Hardy alone would require:

 

Re-sign Gross.  I am guessing he will return for $2.5 m. or so.  I am not good at guessing contracts.

Re-sign Mitchell.  The speed, the leadership, the hitting, the swagger. Our defensive backfield needed it.  Don't forget he was learning FS.  He will only get better.  I am thinking about $2.5 million per year.

Re-sign Wharton.  He played well, and this could lead to a competition between Wharton, Kugbila, and SIlatolu for the 2 spots..  $1.5 million

Re-sign Ted Ginn.  As important as he was to us, his statistics make him affordable, He would be a great KR, 3/4th WR.  I am guessing $2 million.

Re-sign Captain Munnerlyn. Ideally, I would like to get better at CB, sending Capt. to the nickel role.  He was the best CB on the second-ranked D in the NFL.  He may want to shop himself again, but I think he accepts a $2.5 million per season deal.

 

Or we could re-sign Hardy to a $12 m per year deal.

 

 

 

[Who Said What?]

Here are some interesting observations that may help one deal with the loss of Hardy:

1.  CJ, Star, KK/Dwan, Luke and Davis drew a lot of attention.

2.  We faced a lot of teams with LT issues this year, and Hardy often had multiple sacks vs. those teams.

3. Many of Hardy's sacks were "motor" sacks.  He found the QB after being forced to navigate around in the pocket.  There were a few where he was not the first player to reach the QB. 

4.  Do you consider Hardy an "elite" player, or did he have a tremendous season due to the pieces around him?  I think Hardy is a good player, a very good player--I loved the pick when he was drafted---but there is a lot of risk involved in paying him top dollar. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I agree, especially on 1, 2, and 4.  Hardy didn't even sniff the QB last week and for all that alternate persona trash talk he did, he did not produce.  I understand the LT was good, but he was supposed to be good too.  Let him walk.  Alexander had a bigger name and performance record coming out of college.  He has played okay when his number Is called.  I believe we can be fine with him starting opposite CJ.  Alexander has 3 and 1/2 sacks and three fumble recoveries in super limited playing time.  Hardy's numbers weren't eye popping his first two years either. 

 

[Goondal]

That last day or two I have pretty much come to accept the fact that Hardy will walk.  The question is what are we going to get with the money.

 

Losing Hardy will be tough but G-man knows his big men and I have confidence that he will find somebody who can put up around ten sacks when given the advantage of having CJ, Star, and Short on the line with him.  Several in this thread have brought up Decker and his advantages of playing with Manning, Thomas, etc.  I think the same argument can be used for Hardy.  CJ is the one that we cannot afford to lose.  I would love to keep Hardy but not if it means not extending Cam or failing to upgrade some of the glaring holes that good teams were able to exploit.

[L-TownCat]

Curiosity is a weakness of mine :unsure:

And that's how you become a Krak-head.

[CPF4LIFE]

Joe Staley said he prepared for Hardy more than any other DE he has faced in his career. You can whine about Hardy not showing up but thats respect. And not many other OTs will keep him in check like that.

[rayzor]

we can try and minimalize the potential impact that hardy has on the defense, but the truth is he is a big part of the success that we have had.

 

he is a beast. sure, he's a bit touched in the head and has a big mouth, but he's as good as advertised. he's worth every bit of money he can get on the market.

 

my little bit of hope is that he can understand the impact that "what he's due" can have on the team and that he feels he can be himself here. he's been given a lot of leash that other teams might not give him. the grass isn't always greener on the other side. that new team might not be contenders, either. they might not have someone on the other side of the line who can draw attention away from him. they might not have a beastly DL. they might be years away from any chance at the playoffs. their fanbase might not appreciate him. his new team might hate him. there's just a lot of things that could go wrong...but hey, he'd have an extra mil or two a year for 5 years and that fixes everything, right?

 

my little bit of hope is that he knows what carolina needs to do to reach the superbowl...and that they are working with limited resources. if he plays hardball, they might not be able to keep him or if they did they would be sacrificing other key areas needed to punch the rest of the league back in the face.

 

some place might have more money for him, but i seriously doubt that any place would be as perfect a fit for him as here or that any potential landing spots would have as bright a future as here. he's got to know that he's appreciated here by the fans and by the team as well. i just hope that it matters when it comes down to decision time and that it weighs a lot in the decision.

[MtnProwler]

Here are some interesting observations that may help one deal with the loss of Hardy:

1. CJ, Star, KK/Dwan, Luke and Davis drew a lot of attention.

2. We faced a lot of teams with LT issues this year, and Hardy often had multiple sacks vs. those teams.

3. Many of Hardy's sacks were "motor" sacks. He found the QB after being forced to navigate around in the pocket. There were a few where he was not the first player to reach the QB.

4. Do you consider Hardy an "elite" player, or did he have a tremendous season due to the pieces around him? I think Hardy is a good player, a very good player--I loved the pick when he was drafted---but there is a lot of risk involved in paying him top dollar.

However, his agent will base his asking price on a few other observations: 15 sacks, 3rd in the league. Pro Bowler. There is a premium on getting to the QB in the NFL. Hardy is going to get paid. We may be 20+ million under the cap, but seriously, we are not using over half of that on one player. I am guessing that we could do the following on what Hardy alone would require:

Re-sign Gross. I am guessing he will return for $2.5 m. or so. I am not good at guessing contracts.

Re-sign Mitchell. The speed, the leadership, the hitting, the swagger. Our defensive backfield needed it. Don't forget he was learning FS. He will only get better. I am thinking about $2.5 million per year.

Re-sign Wharton. He played well, and this could lead to a competition between Wharton, Kugbila, and SIlatolu for the 2 spots.. $1.5 million

Re-sign Ted Ginn. As important as he was to us, his statistics make him affordable, He would be a great KR, 3/4th WR. I am guessing $2 million.

Re-sign Captain Munnerlyn. Ideally, I would like to get better at CB, sending Capt. to the nickel role. He was the best CB on the second-ranked D in the NFL. He may want to shop himself again, but I think he accepts a $2.5 million per season deal.

Or we could re-sign Hardy to a $12 m per year deal.

Without question we do the resigns rather than giving Hardy 12M. We are getting ready to see what Hardy thinks a "discount" really is.

[JSouth]

I can only wish that Hardy stays here regardless of getting paid. I understand wanting to be paid appropriately and he deserves it but he has to know this team is strapped at the moment.

I would not blame him in the least bit for leaving, he could get hurt and never get that big check, or he can stay for less knowing what can happen. I can only hope he understands he is on a good team that has the potential to be a great team for many years and eventually he will have his payday.

Pipe dream I know but that's what fans are for, right?

[panthers34]

Decker could leave for a team with a good young QB since Manning is approaching the end of his career  

[Mr. Scot]

And that's how you become a Krak-head.

Someone told me if I said his name in a mirror three times, The Kraken would appear and rip me apart.

I tried it so I could prove the whole idea is just ridicu-HOLY SHI-AAAAAHHH... :blink:

[Carolina Cajun]

Someone told me if I said his name in a mirror three times, The Kraken would appear and rip me apart.

I tried it so I could prove the whole idea is just ridicu-HOLY SHI-AAAAAHHH... :blink:

 

It's only partially true, it's if you say his name 3 times while staring at a bowl of cereal.  If you do, he will come out of the bowl and dominate anything in a 100 yard radius.

[The Huddler]

Those that say nicks would be expensive.. I dont get it. Hes had an awful season and we could get him for really cheap.. Peanuts. And have yall forgotten what he has been like when healthy?