With Randy Gregory’s suspension, do the Cowboys need Greg Hardy?

With Randy Gregory facing a four-game suspension, do the Dallas Cowboys really need Greg Hardy to return? Let’s discuss.

The Cowboys have a problem with quarterback pressure.

Now that defense end Randy Gregory is facing a four-game suspension to boot the 2016 season, plans to improve the pass rush figures to be even a higher priority this offseason.

With Gregory missing 25 percent of the regular season, the Cowboys are shaking their heads. The team handed the young college star the number 94 jersey. They exercised a second rounder to draft him.

Gregory’s talents were on full display during his rookie preseason; he recorded three sacks in four games.

But due to an early injury in the regular season, the 23-year-old missed four games, and ended the season with no sacks.

Gregory figured to be a major part — along with pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence — in retooling defensive coordinator’s Rod Marinelli scheme to attack the quarterback in 2016.

The Cowboys finished the season with a dismal 31 sacks, which tied them for 25th place with two other teams. If Dallas is to get to the promise land, that sack total must head north.

To put sacks into perspective, the six teams that led the league in sacks all made the playoffs.

Denver Broncos | 52 sacks

New England Patriots | 49 sacks

Pittsburgh Steelers | 48 sacks

Kansas City Chiefs | 47 sacks

Houston Texans | 45 sacks

Carolina Panthers | 44 sacks

Over at ProFootballTalk of NBC, Mike Florio posits Gregory’s suspension as leverage for defensive end Greg Hardy to stay in Dallas. There is also a report from Ryan Wilson of CBSSports.com that states the Boys are in fact one and done with Hardy’s services.

So, do the Cowboys need Hardy now that the team is short with pass rushers?

Put in another way: Do the Cowboys need to retain cancer? No. Absolutely not.

The Cowboys — despite Gregory’s suspension — are a better team without Hardy. The unnecessary amount of tornadoes (that weren’t football related) he brought over isn’t worth it.

Throw in the fact that coaching assistants won’t have to install rear-view mirrors on the sidelines in case Hardy decides to throw another temper tantrum is a bonus also.

Let’s get real here. The purpose of pass rushers is to pose pressure on opposing teams. So note, then, that this does not include the men standing on your side of the sidelines. As talented, and God gifted as Hardy is, his level of toxicity isn’t worth the level of energy it’d take to tolerant it all.

He has to go.

Despite Gregory’s recent mishap.

From a football realm alone, Hardy turns 28 this July. He started his Cowboys venture with 4.5 sacks his first six games. He finished the final six contests with only 1.5 sacks.

With Hardy out of the picture, Gregory figures to receive all the snaps in practice and in games, which is an important recipe with his upcoming suspension. Now that Gregory won’t be rotating, the Cowboys can have a hard look at the young talent who clearly needs all the reps he can get to develop.

Goodbye Greg Hardy.

The Dallas Cowboys are now a better team.

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