Daryl Washington has been out of the NFL for three years, but he was recently reinstated. After being released by the Cardinals, the team for whom he last played, he is now free to sign with any team he wants. And what he wants is to play for the Dallas Cowboys.
"Why not be a Cowboy?" Washington told Pro Football Talk. "I'm settled in here. It's home. Let's try to get one this year. Come on Mr. [Jerry] Jones, you'll be glad you took a chance on me. We'll hold up that Lombardi Trophy together."
Washington is now 30 and, as mentioned, he has not played in the NFL since 2013 because of repeated violations of the NFL's substance abuse policy. The Cowboys under Jerry Jones have not been afraid to take chances on players with similar histories, but they have also been burned by several of those players of late.
Rolando McClain had one excellent season with the Cowboys but has basically worked his way out of the league over the last couple years through repeated substance abuse violations. The Cowboys have also had players like Orlando Scandrick, Randy Gregory, DeMarcus Lawrence, and now David Irving get hit with suspensions for violating either the substance abuse or performance-enhancing drug policy.
It's also not clear where Washington would fit with the Cowboys. He played as a 3-4 inside linebacker with the Cardinals, and the Cowboys play a 4-3. Their starting middle linebacker last year was Anthony Hitchens, and he acquitted himself nicely. Washington at his best was a better player, but we don't know what his skill level is like after three years away from football. (Washington did tell PFT that he weighs 235 pounds right now, the same as he did when he last played in the NFL, so there's that.)
The 2013 version of Washington would have the flexibility to play outside as well, but the Cowboys already have seven linebackers (Hitchens, Sean Lee, Damien Wilson, Jaylon Smith, Kyle Wilber, Mark Nzeocha, John Lotulelei) under contract for the 2017 season, and they have several street free agents at the position in camp for OTAs as well. Four of them -- Lee, Hitchens, Wilson, and probably Smith, if he's healthy -- figure to be in line for significant playing time this season. Washington could slot into that group if the Cowboys were interested, but again, it's not known at this point how much he'd be able to contribute.
PFT reported that the Cowboys are "conducting their due diligence on Washington," and if that due diligence ends with them being interested, they should be able to get him on a discounted contract based on his desire to play for the team and the inherent risk that comes with signing him.