Cowboys agree to terms with Greg Hardy on reported 1-year deal

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The Dallas Cowboys have agreed to terms on a deal with former Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy.

The deal is for one year and will pay Hardy a minimum base salary, but can be worth up to $13.1 million, according to Pro Football Talk.

Dianna Marie Russini of NBC4 was the first to report the signing.

Dallas was in competition with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Hardy, but Bucs general manager Jason Licht said Wednesday the team decided Hardy wasn't the right fit for them.

Hardy was convicted in July on charges of misdemeanor assault and communicating threats stemming from an altercation with his former girlfriend. He appealed the decision and had both charges dismissed Feb. 9 after prosecutors said they were unable to locate his accuser to testify.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones commented on that aspect of the signing Wednesday evening:

"Obviously a great deal of our study was dedicated to the issue of domestic violence, and the recent events that associated Greg with that issue.  We know that Greg’s status remains under review by the National Football League.

Our organization understands the very serious nature of domestic violence in our society and in our league.  We know that Greg has a firm understanding of those issues as well."

The 26-year-old remains on the commissioner's exempt list while the NFL determines whether he should be suspended for violating the league's personal conduct policy.

The Panthers would be eligible for a compensatory pick in the 2016 draft if Hardy is on the Cowboys' roster for at least 10 games this season, as noted by ESPN's David Newton. If Hardy is suspended for more than six games, that criteria cannot be met.