The Cardinals were able to advance to the playoffs this season despite the absence of several key players from the lineup.
Most of those absences were due to injuries, but they were also missing linebacker Daryl Washington because of a one-year suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Washington is eligible to be reinstated by the league in May, but that may just be the preamble to another suspension.
Washington pleaded guilty to aggravated assault last March after being arrested for pushing the mother of his daughter hard enough that she fell and broke her collarbone. The league has not handed down any discipline for that case, but it seems likely and president Michael Bidwill said that the Cardinals aren’t planning around Washington’s presence as a result.
“He’ll be facing the issue with the domestic violence and there has been no determination of what happens there,” Bidwill said, via the team’s website. “He was only suspended for the drug issue, so we want to make sure we understand what that (other punishment) is. Last year, we learned about his suspension after free agency. This year we are going to plan to make sure we address all the issues not knowing whether Daryl will be back for part of next season or all of next season. ‘Next man up’ is real but we have to make sure we’ve gone into free agency and addressed that situation.”
Larry Foote, who started 15 games at inside linebacker, is set to be a free agent this offseason so it’s a spot that they’ll need to address regardless of Washington’s situation.