Inside Info On Your Newest Dallas Cowboys
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Over the last week, the Cowboys have made a pair of signings that will be a major part of their 2015 campaign.
Former Arkansas and Raiders running back Darren McFadden agreed to a 2-year, $5.85 million deal six days ago, and yesterday, the team signed former Ole Miss and Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy.
In trying to find out a little about the individuals behind the scenes, I caught up with a friend of mine who happened to be able to see BOTH of them up close during their college years. Although you never know how much a player changes several years removed from college, one thing appeared clear - if his statements still hold true, the Cowboys have found a pair of impact players at very reasonable prices.
Here's what he had to say:
GREG HARDY
The most dynamic defensive player on the ball club (Ole Miss).
A "space cadet"..."For two weeks you could get the best teammate you could imagine. Then for a week or two, he'd disengage. It was tough to know what you were going to get with him."
Well-liked by his teammates.
Dynamic pass-rusher - "He'll be a big-time difference maker. Teams won't be able to stop him one-on-one. But he has to be motivated."
On the deal he signed with the Cowboys - "It's the perfect deal for both sides because it keeps the carrot in front of him."
He told me of a game in 2008 against Mississippi State that Hardy dominated so thoroughly that the Bulldogs wound up going with three offensive players whose only job was to try and slow him down. Hardy finished that game with 3 sacks, 3 tackles for a loss, and the Ole Miss shut out the Bulldogs 45-0.
Considering the off-the-field issues surrounding Hardy, I asked him if he ever saw any violent tendencies from Greg inside the locker room - punching walls, kicking chairs, aggression with teammates...He said he never saw any of those types of incidents with Hardy first hand, nor did he ever hear of any issues away from the team.
MY THOUGHTS
The Cowboys did everything they could to minimize their risk - one false step on Hardy's part, and they can cut him loose without owing him another dime. You'd think the difference between a $600K a week job and possibly getting nothing would be all the motivation Hardy needs. And when it comes to a bargain for Hardy, consider this - of the 13 other defensive linemen making at least $10 million a year, only four of them (JJ Watt, Jason Pierre-Paul, Robert Quinn, Demarcus Ware) have ever recorded a 15-sack season, as Hardy did back in 2013.
DARREN MCFADDEN
*I should note here that I had originally called my friend specifically to talk about his time with Hardy. He brought up McFadden on his own, and had nothing but glowing things to say:
"The total opposite [of Greg]. You ALWAYS knew you were going to get his best on a daily basis."
"The hardest working player on the field. He was the first one into the training room in the morning, and the last one to leave."
"Natural leader. He earned the trust of his coaches and the respect of his teammates. Everybody listened when Darren spoke."
"I never worked with a player who had a nastier stiff arm."
He said he had spoken to him this past year during his time in Oakland - "Darren NEVER griped in Oakland about the team's lack of success, or his workload on the field. All he talked about was how badly he wanted to win. I can only imagine the lifeline he feels he's gotten with the Cowboys."
"If he can stay on the field, he'll be a dynamic runner behind that line. I don't think he'll ever have seen holes that big, even at Arkansas."
MY THOUGHTS
It's pretty clear McFadden has the talent to do it all - run between the tackles, beat defenders to the edge, run away from the crowd in the open field, catch passes out of the backfield and pass protect. As we all know, the only question is whether or not he can stay healthy enough to show what he's capable of.
All in all, it's not been the splashiest offseason the Cowboys have had in the last few years. But for a team pressed against the cap and looking to squeeze all the value out of their dollars that they can, it could arguably be their most efficient.
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