Skip to main content
Animated graphic with dark background and information about Chargers @ Cardinals for Monday Night Football
Advertising

Arizona Cardinals Home: The official source of the latest Cardinals headlines, news, videos, photos, tickets, rosters and game day information

Resetting the Daryl Washington info

It's about that time of year, that time when I get a bunch of Daryl Washington questions (and I have been, pretty consistently, since the end of the season on various platforms). Now Mike Jurecki has gotten a response from the suspended linebacker -- albeit brief -- with Washington telling Jurecki he has optimism the NFL will reinstate him for 2017. (That doesn't necessarily mean he's applied or will apply. We will see.) It does mean more questions coming my way about D-Wash. So this is as good a time as any to lay out (again) what I know/think:

-- After missing three full seasons of NFL play, there's no reason to think Washington -- who will turn 31 in early October -- will be reinstated. His was an indefinite suspension. Most indefinite suspensions that are at least a year have ended by now if they are going to end. Washington's, obviously, has not.

-- There were good reasons the Cardinals didn't release Washington from his contract even if they planned to move on from him. They wanted to look into the bonus money he had been paid and their options there. Plus, the bonus money that had been paid is a cap hit that the Cardinals didn't want to foul up any single cap year. Suspended, Washington a) wasn't getting any salary/costing any actual dollars and b) wasn't taking up a roster spot. So it hasn't been hurting the Cardinals to hold him in place.

-- This would have been the final year of Washington's contract, so this is the first year they could release him and not have it adversely impact the cap. This season, Washington is scheduled to count $2.5M against the cap whether he is released or suspended on the team.

-- People ask me about these big cap hits Washington had, as seen on various sites that address NFL contracts. The cap hits were never going to be beyond his prorated bonus, because they always were taking into account salaries that Washington was never going to draw because he was suspended.

-- It's my understanding that Washington's contract "tolled" on his suspension -- essentially meaning his suspension suspended his contract as well -- which means if Washington were to be reinstated, it would revert to his 2014 terms. That'd mean a $2.9M scheduled salary, and four years remaining on the deal.

-- Not that it means much, because I feel confident in saying the Cards have moved on from Washington. I personally do not believe he is going to be reinstated.

OK. That's my Washington post for the year, unless something happens. I know, famous last words.

Arizona Cardinals inside linebacker Daryl Washington jogs off the field after the Cardinals beat the Seahawks 17-10 in an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013, in Seattle. The Cardinals 17-10. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Advertising