Cardinals agree to bring back TE Darrell Daniels, S Charles Washington

The Arizona Cardinals on Thursday agreed to re-sign free agent tight end Darrell Daniels and backup safety Charles Washington on one-year deals. Terms were not revealed by the team.

Daniels quietly went about his business last year. While he was favored in run downs moreso than fellow tight end Dan Arnold, Daniels also made eight catches on 11 targets for 92 yards and a score in 2020.

He played 365 snaps, just behind Arnold’s 469 on the year.

Daniels returns to a room occupied by veteran Maxx Williams.

There is still work to be done, however, after Arnold, the 2020 team’s third-leading receiver, agreed to sign with the Carolina Panthers.

Last season, Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury used tight ends heavily despite Williams missing nearly half the year due to an ankle injury.

The Cardinals were in 11 personnel, with one tight end, just 46% of the time. Relative to other teams, it was a low rate. But that’s because the Cardinals used 12 personnel, or a two-tight end look, 30% of the time, the third-highest rate in the NFL.

Arnold’s pass-catching abilities had something to do with those numbers. Arnold was primarily acting as a fourth wide receiver, but he did get 143 run-blocking reps, according to Pro Football Focus.

The 6-foot-6, 220-pounder finished with a career-high 438 receiving yards. His four touchdown receptions that came in a chunk of the season from Weeks 11-14 tied for second-most on the team.

Depending on if the Cardinals make an effort to add a pass-catching tight end in free agency or the draft, Daniels could potentially see more opportunity there.

Washington is a core special teams contributor who also played 40 defensive snaps when forced into action because of injuries.

He had 12 tackles, a pass defensed and a forced fumble in 2020.

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