The NFL has conditionally reinstated Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Although he has been out of football for a long time, he plans to play in 2017, a source tells Schefter. 
Washington, 30, has been lobbying for a return for some time. Earlier this year, an anonymous source told Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic that the Cardinals are not interested in taking him back. The statement released by the team doesn’t do much to dispute that notion.
“Considering we have been prohibited from having contact with him over the last three years, it would be premature today to discuss a potential return to the team,” the Cardinals said in a statement (Twitter links).
Washington was suspended indefinitely in 2014 for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy and has not played since Week 17 of the ’13 campaign. The linebacker earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2012 when he notched 134 total tackles and 9.0 sacks and continued to be productive in his final NFL year, but the Cardinals have run out of patience with him. Now that he has been cleared, he’ll have to try and hook on elsewhere.
On Tuesday afternoon, the league also granted conditional reinstatement to Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant.
Would like the cowboys to take a flyer on him, if he is released