Cardinals want 'educational briefing' with Washington after reinstatement

After three seasons out of football due to suspension, the NFL surprisingly reinstated Arizona Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington in late April.

As the NFL doesn't allow teams to be in contact with banned players, the Cardinals haven't spoken to Washington since 2014.

Washington is no lock to return to the Cardinals despite his reinstatement, with general manager Steve Keim saying on Sirius XM that the team needs to first talk to him in order to assess a potential reunion.

"To be quite honest with you, we have had dialogue with his agent, but have not have had a chance to talk with Daryl yet, just because of how busy we have been," Keim said, according to Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site. "We will attend to that in the near future and obviously get a chance to talk to Daryl and see what is going on."

Keim added: "There will be a sit-down with Michael Bidwill, our president and owner, and myself and coach Arians, and again, more than anything, an educational briefing on 'Just where have you been the last three years, what's going on in your life?' Once that meeting occurs, there will be a decision made (about Washington's future with the team).

"It's been three years, and the way the system is set up right now, there is a lot of unknown."

The 2012 Pro Bowler reportedly intends to play in 2017.

Washington was suspended for the first four games of the 2013 season for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. He then was handed an indefinite suspension following another violation after the campaign.