Things are about to get even more interesting, and potentially messy, between Washington and safety Su’a Cravens.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Cravens may still report to the team on Tuesday, consistent with a plan to return about which the team was aware before putting him on the reserve/left squad list. (Ian Rapoport of NFL Media had reported -- accurately -- on Sunday that Cravens intended to return to the team on Tuesday.)
As the source explains it, Washington was aware that Cravens was coming back on Tuesday. Out of the blue on Monday, they shifted his status from exempt/left squad to reserve/left squad, ending his season. Cravens, we’re told, wasn’t informed that the team was planning to make the move until after the move already had been made.
The circumstances that allowed Cravens to receive a four-week roster exemption set the stage for Monday’s developments. By rule, Washington was required to send Cravens the so-called “five-day letter,” which informs him that if he doesn’t return within (duh) five days, he can be placed on the reserve/left squad list. So, basically, once five days elapsed, Washington had the ability to shut Cravens down -- even if he was under the impression that he had four weeks to return.
As it stands, Cravens has been gone little more than two weeks and, just as he was getting ready to walk through the door, the team slammed it in his face.
Although a grievance is possible (if not likely), Cravens currently is unable to play for Washington or anyone else for the entire season, given the team’s roster move from Monday.
