When the Cardinals signed linebacker Daryl Washington to a six-year deal before last season, there probably wasn’t much thought that they’d be planning for a future without him at the first OTA of the next offseason.
As a result of Washington’s four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy and subsequent arrest on two counts of aggravated assault, that’s just where they found themselves on Tuesday. Washington ran with the second-team defense while the newly signed Karlos Dansby worked with the starters during the first OTA of the Cardinals offseason.
Washington met with the media after practice, his first time in front of reporters since his arrest. Washington didn’t talk about the case beyond saying he hopes there aren’t any further repercussions from the league. Although he watched Dansby with the ones, Washington said he didn’t think his standing with the team had changed because of his off-field issues and that he was planning to keep his head down and work hard for the rest of the offseason.
“All I can do is come out here and work as hard as I can and let everything else play out. I don’t like to bring a lot of attention to the team,” Washington said, via the team’s website. “I wish I could’ve just been more aware of a lot of situations obviously on both ends of the stick with the league and myself. All I want to do is move forward from here and just try to help my team and bring positive attention to the team.”
No attention at all would probably suffice for now.