The Cowboys finally got word about Greg Hardy's upcoming discipline, and it came down Wednesday in the form of a 10-game suspension.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the league announced the suspension after a lengthy, two-month investigation that saw them delve into the details of Hardy's dismissed charges for assault and communicating threats against his ex-girlfriend Nicole Holder.
This process likely won't conclude for a while. Hardy has three days to appeal the suspension, which he likely will. In the meantime, he's allowed to participate in the team's offseason activities â including offseason workouts, Organized Team Activities, minicamp, training camp and preseason games.
In the meantime, the Cowboys are operating under the assumption that they'll be without their best pass rusher for the lion's share of the season. While Hardy sits, Dallas is slated for tough outings against the likes of the Giants, Eagles, Saints, Patriots and Seahawks.
Without trying to predict the prospects of Hardy's appeal, it raises questions about the Cowboys' game plan going forward. Defensive end was a position of need for this team before its Pro Bowl pass rusher was suspended for more than half of the season.
One thing working in the Cowboys' favor is that the league announced the decision eight days prior to the 2015 NFL Draft. If the front office wasn't already zeroing in on pass rushers, it's only logical that they take a harder look now.
Their late-round positioning throughout the draft is bound to complicate that. Picking 27th overall, it's unlikely the top sack artists -- such as Dante Fowler, Leonard Williams or Bud Dupree â will be there when Dallas picks. The same can be said for their No. 60 and No. 91 picks, which fall toward the tail end of the second and third rounds, respectively.
There are additions that can be made through the draft. UCLA's Owamagbe Odighizuwa and Virginia's Eli Harold are big-name pass rushers the Cowboys have hosted at their facility. Assuming his failed drug tests push him down the draft board, Nebraska's Randy Gregory could be a possibility.
This decision could also prompt some kind of free agency activity. The list of proven players at defensive end is admittedly thin, but it was only two summers ago that Dallas pulled George Selvie off his couch and turned him into a seven-sack player.
The players that are already on the roster deserve mention, as well. The primary duo that will be looked to while Hardy is absent would obviously be Jeremy Mincey and DeMarcus Lawrence. Mincey was the team's sack leader in 2014, while Lawrence flashed his potential in the Cowboys' two playoff games.
Behind them -- and obviously not including potential draft picks -- the Cowboys have a handful of options. Jack Crawford figures to get a crack at the defensive end rotation, as he showed promise last season before winding up on injured reserve. Ben Gardner is another guy you'll hear associated with potential. The Cowboys liked him enough to draft him in the seventh round out of Stanford, but a shoulder injury sidelined him at the very outset of training camp.
The Cowboys also liked Lavar Edwards enough to deal away a seventh-round draft pick to acquire him from Tennessee. He kicked around the active roster and the practice squad for stretches of last season before incurring his own injury problems.
So the outlook isn't exactly rosy if Hardy can't play. But then again, you could make that argument even before the suspension wasn't announced. Defensive end and defensive tackle were draft needs a week ago, and they'll still be draft needs next week.
The Cowboys knew all along that this was a possibility, given the details of Hardy's legal issues. The realization of his suspension shouldn't be so shocking that it'll change much about their gameplan.
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