Cardinals' Daryl Washington to apply for reinstatement

Daryl Washington is set to begin his pursuit of a return to the NFL.

Suspended indefinitely in May 2014 after yet another violation of the league's substance abuse policy, the Arizona Cardinals linebacker will soon apply for reinstatement, his agent told Kent Somers of azcentral.com.

Of course, far more will be required of Washington than simply submitting his application to the league office, but it's the first step toward potentially getting back on the field nonetheless.

Prior to his multiple suspensions, including a 4-game ban he received to start the 2013 campaign, Washington had proven to be an impact linebacker in all areas of the defensive game.

The 28-year-old's most productive year came in 2012, when he recorded 134 tackles, nine sacks and one interception in 16 regular-season starts.

Though he isn't likely to receive word on his status for another several weeks after officially applying for reinstatement, Washington returning to the Cardinals would give the team yet another playmaker on an already strong defensive front seven.