Jaguars GM says Greg Hardy workout was fact-finding mission

— -- Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell viewed bringing in Greg Hardy for a workout last week as a fact-finding mission rather than an attempt to bolster their pass rush.

Caldwell said Monday that the Jaguars didn't intend to sign Hardy after his two-day workout last Wednesday and Thursday but wanted to see him on the field and meet with him so they would have enough information about the free-agent defensive end should they decide to pursue him in the future.

"It was really to find out more about him so we don't have any questions going into the season," Caldwell said. "There's no what-ifs for us right now. There could have been a what-if Week 3, Week 4 or into the preseason, but we kind of have our questions answered as to our game plan for him.

"... It was an opportunity for us -- here's a guy that was a franchise defensive end two years ago sitting out on the street -- to bring him in, work him out and try to find out the facts where he's at, the truth behind everything that surrounds him and just do our homework."

Caldwell said the team spoke with Hardy about his domestic violence conviction and eventual dismissal as well as events that transpired last season while he was a member of the Dallas Cowboys. However, Caldwell said he wouldn't go into the specifics of what the team asked and Hardy's responses.

"We brought him in and he did a workout," Caldwell said. "It's not often you get your chance to put your hands on a player of that caliber to work him out. So we'll just see where it's at. We have no imminent plans of signing him at this point, but it was good to get him in here and find out about him."

Hardy, 27, has 40 sacks in six seasons, including six last season. The Cowboys did not renew his contract, and he went unsigned during free agency.

Hardy was suspended for the first four games of the 2015 season for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy in connection with a 2014 domestic violence incident. He was accused of assaulting then-girlfriend Nicole Holder; he allegedly threw her into a bathtub and on a futon covered with guns and tried to choke her. A judge in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, found him guilty on charges of domestic violence in July 2014.

Hardy denied the charges and said Holder was under the influence of alcohol and was angry because he told her to leave his home. He appealed the conviction, and the case was dismissed in February 2015 after prosecutors said they were unable to locate Holder. The prosecutors also said Holder had reached a settlement with Hardy.

In addition, Hardy stirred controversy throughout the 2015 season with several comments, including saying he was going to come out "guns blazing" in his return to the field. Hardy also shoved an assistant coach and got into a shouting match on the sideline with Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant.

Caldwell said he was aware of a potential public relations backlash if the team were to sign Hardy and said that decision would not be made lightly.

"Domestic violence is a serious issue," Caldwell said. "There's no place for it in the world, let alone the NFL. But I think for us, we're going to do what's best for our team. We have 52 players that want to win. We have a coaching staff that wants to win as much as our fan base. We're going to turn over every rock, but not at any price."

The Jaguars lack a veteran edge rusher and did have conversations with Hardy's agent during free agency, but did not pursue him at that time.

Jacksonville tried to sign Olivier Vernon in free agency, but he agreed to a five-year, $85 million deal with the New York Giants. The Jaguars' top two edge rushers are Dante Fowler, Jr., who missed his rookie season in 2015 after suffering a torn left ACL on the first day of rookie minicamp, and rookie Yannick Ngakoue, the team's third-round draft pick.