Should trading Hardy be considered?

[camtheone]

Hardy causes the other OL to focus on him and he does open up a lot of lanes for people. I hope he signs with us but I also hope we do not break the bank to keep him.  We need to sign some of these practice squad now contributors to some deals, Ginn and Lafell......hopefully we can make some good draft picks again like this year....our first 2 picks have really produced this year so far...hope they can keep the tank filled up.  KEEP POUNDING!!

[JawnyBlaze]

Assuming we can get him for a slightly decent price, you do it. I love shiny new draft picks as much as anyone but this defense is performing lights out. Unless he is asking for something outrageous, you put your money down to keep this defense performing the way it is. By putting that money into Hardy, you're putting that money into the secondary as well. The pass rush is what is making this band-aid secondary look legit. So not only are you buying Hardy, but, in a sense, a solid secondary as well.

 

Then, as far as trading him for draft picks (or players), there's two problems with that:

 

1) We know what Hardy is and even a first round pick is an uncertainty. A bird in the hand...

2) If we can't re-sign him because he's asking too much, it's unlikely that a team is going to trade anything with high value for him knowing that they may not be able to re-sign him either.

 

I completely agree with you.  I want us to do everything possible to keep Hardy.  However, there is a possibility we simply won't be able to afford to keep him.  If that's the case, and it's something we as fans won't hear about until the dust settles on trades/contract negotiations/etc, then much better to trade him and get something in return than simply losing him to FA.

 

2) There are teams that are much more cap-flexible than we are.  Just because we can't afford to throw him a $15mil a year contract doesn't mean there isn't a team out there that can and would be willing to.  I dunno what the Falcons current cap status is, but they'd have to be frothing at the bit to not only steal away one of our best young talents but also beef up their team's greatest weakness and they'd probably be willing to overpay a bit to do so.  There are plenty of teams out there with a glaring need at DE, and at least some of them are going to be able to afford a higher offer than we can.  This is why I ranted during the offseason we needed to lock him up then when the price could be lower than if we have to compete with other teams.

 

Also, no team is going to trade for him unless a new deal is agreed upon with the new team before the trade.

[JawnyBlaze]

Then again.. thinking on it more.   It's the Beason scenario, we can't let him go for nothing.   If the deal isn't reasonable for both sides then I think a trade would be the way to go.  However how much trade value would he have now?  This is the last year of his deal.  Anyone seriously interested in him would do better to wait for the year to end and go after him as a FA.

 

Anyone seriously interested in him probably wouldn't want to have to compete with other teams who are also seriously interested in him.  If we trade his rights, that team now owns them and has exclusive negotiating privileges (if a new deal wasn't reached with Hardy before the trade took place...which is what would likely happen).  A team needing a young talented pass rusher isn't going to find many options in FA and if they don't jump in the trade game, some other team will and they'll miss out.

[Udogg]

Anyone seriously interested in him probably wouldn't want to have to compete with other teams who are also seriously interested in him.  If we trade his rights, that team now owns them and has exclusive negotiating privileges (if a new deal wasn't reached with Hardy before the trade took place...which is what would likely happen).  A team needing a young talented pass rusher isn't going to find many options in FA and if they don't jump in the trade game, some other team will and they'll miss out.

 

I understand..but if he doesn't negotiate with us, it seems like he would want to test FA.  So why would a team trade a legitimate pick for the exclusive negotiating privileges.   I guess it could happen but doesn't seem likely.

[PhillyB]

i'd like what we could get for him, but not as much as i like what we can get from him on the field.

[teeray]

Why do we keep trying to trade our best players here in the Huddle? :lol:

I get trying to not let him walk and get nothing in return, but there is another part of me that wants us to give him every opportunity to get an extension done.

[JawnyBlaze]

I understand..but if he doesn't negotiate with us, it seems like he would want to test FA.  So why would a team trade a legitimate pick for the exclusive negotiating privileges.   I guess it could happen but doesn't seem likely.

 

Players (and their agents) don't always just wanna test the market.  It bites them in the ass as often as it drives up their prices.  If a trading partner offers Hardy enough to make him willing to sign a contract in the next two weeks, Hardy's gonna do it.  He and his agent know that not signing a new contract is risking an injury and a MUCH lower contract.  I'm sure he and his agent have a number they believe he is worth, and if another team will meet that number but we won't and they'll give us a pick or a player for him that meet our demands for his value, it'll happen.  It all boils down to what Hardy's agent thinks of the risk of injury vs reward of how much more they think they can get him compared to what we're (or a trading partner is) offering.

[JawnyBlaze]

Why do we keep trying to trade our best players here in the Huddle? :lol:

I get trying to not let him walk and get nothing in return, but there is another part of me that wants us to give him every opportunity to get an extension done.

 

Absolutely, I want them to exhaust every opportunity to resign him before considering a trade.  But if, behind close doors, Gettleman has the impression that there's just no chance he and Hardy's agent are going to be able to come to an agreement, he has to pull the trigger on a trade before the deadline.

[SgtJoo]

[Match.com]

If we have no chance of resigning him then, you trade him. We need someone who is productive every game, not someone who shows up for a monster game when he pleases.

 

so, are you saying we are out of the running for clowney??

[PantherPhann89]

I like Hardy. The only problem is our salary cap situation and Hardy knows that. If he isn't willing to help is team, then yes we should at least see what we can get for him. 

[Jakob]

so, are you saying we are out of the running for clowney??

We don't even need clowney

[Cape Fear Cat]

I don't want to lose Hardy - I just got his jersey, and I can't afford to retire it yet!

[Dash Global]

Why do we keep trying to trade our best players here in the Huddle? :lol:

I get trying to not let him walk and get nothing in return, but there is another part of me that wants us to give him every opportunity to get an extension done.

 

Its called personnel / cap management. 

 

Good organizations do not tie up a lot of money in 1 position with multiple players. '

 

We already have a good DE in Johnson on a big contract. 

 

Best scenario is to drafted and/or develop the other DE on a rookie contract.

 

Then trade them for assets.

 

Rinse and repeat.