Daryl Washington emerged as a standout linebacker with the Cardinals during the first four years of his career, racking up a pair of 100-tackle seasons, 18 sacks and a Pro Bowl invitation in 2012. However, the NFL suspended him four games in 2013 for violating its substance abuse policy. He then violated the same policy again and the league hit him with a much harsher penalty last May in the form of a year-plus suspension. That suspension caused Washington to miss all of the 2014 campaign. What’s more, the league hasn’t yet disciplined Washington for a domestic violence arrest last spring, when he pleaded guilty to assaulting the mother of his child.
Now, hoping to put his off-field issues in the past, Washington plans to apply for reinstatement to the league in the coming weeks, writes Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. The 28-year-old’s status should be determined in the next two months, per Somers, who reports that the Cardinals are conducting business as if Washington won’t be with them in 2015. The Cardinals paid Washington a $10MM roster bonus last year to keep him around, with half of that prorated total being sent to the defender in February 2014. Washington, whose $8MM per season makes him the league’s sixth-highest-paid ILB, has $15MM worth of dead money remaining on a contract that runs through the 2017 campaign.
Here’s more from the league’s two West-based divisions:
- Despite the departure of longtime 49er and eight-time 1,000-yard rusher Frank Gore, quarterback Colin Kaepernick is confident the team’s running game will be fine going forward. “We have Kendall (Hunter) coming back, who a lot of people forget about,” Kaepernick said, per Cam Inman of the Mercury News. “Carlos (Hyde) had a great rookie year for us, and we’ll probably be using him a lot more this year. We’ve brought Reggie (Bush) in, who’s another great weapon on offense.” Kaepernick is also a fan of newly signed Jarryd Hayne, a former Australian league ruby star who could make an impact in San Francisco’s backfield. “A phenomenal athlete, just a natural,” the QB said. “ It doesn’t seem like there’s much of a learning curve for him.”
- Raiders linebacker Sio Moore is on track to return for training camp, writes ESPN’s Bill Williamson. Moore, who is recovering from hip surgery, played 11 games in 2014 and totaled 90 tackles and three sacks as a second-year man.
- The Raiders will meet with South Florida wide receiver Breshad Perriman and Miles College cornerback Travis Lee before the draft, Williamson reports. Perriman is someone Oakland could have an eye on in the second round, with the 35th overall pick.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.