No, the Falcons should not pursue Greg Hardy in free agency

I get it.

The Atlanta Falcons are desperate for a pass rusher. Pursuing Greg Hardy in free agency would make sense for the team.

Unfortunately, this matter doesn't operate in a vacuum.

Hardy's domestic abuse charges were dismissed on Monday after prosecutors were unable to locate his accuser and ex-girlfriend, Nicole Holder.

Coincidentally, the state (North Carolina) learned Holder reached a settlement with Hardy in a civil suit.

There's no sense in drawing conclusions because ultimately, we don't know exactly why Holder made herself unavailable.

Because Hardy's charges were dropped does not mean he's innocent. On July 15, 2014, he was found guilty of assaulting Holder and threatening to kill her.

Hardy appealed the decision, which put the conviction on hold, so here we are now.

Make no mistake about it: Hardy is among the league's best defensive ends. He put together back-to-back double-digit sack seasons in 2012 and 2013.

He set a career-high in sacks in 2013 with 15 — aided by a four-sack performance against the Falcons in the season finale — and reached his first Pro Bowl. But Atlanta shouldn't give a thought to bringing him in.

Hardy played in just one game in 2014 before he was placed on the NFL's commissioner exempt list. And, after paying him $13.1 million for just a single game, the Carolina Panthers apparently have no plans to re-sign him once free agency rolls around.

Think about how negatively the entire Falcons organization would be perceived if they bring in a guy like Hardy. Also, think about the fact Hardy may still face discipline from the league — a six-game suspension —  based on the new personal conduct policy.

There's just too much of a risk here.

With players like Justin Houston, Jason Pierre-Paul, Jerry Hughes, and Brian Orakpo set to become free agents, let another team dole out the dollars for a potential monster headache in Hardy.

Agree? Disagree? Give us your thoughts.