Report: Marcell Dareus suspended because of missed drug test

Marcell Dareus received a four-game suspension because he missed a drug test.

Any optimism that Buffalo Bills fans had after the NFL draft has been quickly wiped out heading into the season. A defensive unit that was considered one of the best in the league two seasons ago is now decimated beyond belief.

In one offseason, the Bills have cut Mario Williams and lost their top two draft picks to long-term injuries. Now they have their best defensive player suspended for the first four games of the season due to violating the substance abuse policy. We didn’t know what it was about up until now, when Dareus revealed in a media day that he missed a drug test.

Of course, Dareus has a history of suspensions. He missed one game in 2015 due to a controlled substance. Yet this suspension prompted the team to release a statement expressing their disappointment in the player.

Dareus has already said that beating the New England Patriots without Tom Brady wouldn’t be the same. With the Bills will play the Brady-less Patriots in Week 4, he’s gotten his wish at the expense of his team. But to suggest that he doesn’t regret this suspension is stupid, especially since he’s already issued a lengthy apology to fans:

Winning the AFC East is hard enough. With the Bills’ locker room resembling an ER, a suspension to such a Dareus is absolutely crippling.

Next: 2016 NFL season: Record predictions for all 32 teams

Any culture that Rex Ryan was hoping to build has been broken. Such is the case when you become a head coach in Buffalo. The Bills have not reached the playoffs since 1999. Currently, it is the longest drought in the NFL. at 16 years.