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NFL Rumors: Bills trying to lock up Marcell Dareus to extension

By CM Towle

Dec 8, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus (99) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Buffalo Bills 27-6. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 8, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus (99) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Buffalo Bills 27-6. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Buffalo Bills want to lock up defensive tackle Marcell Dareus before camp, despite suspension.

Despite the fact that the NFL has suspended defensive tackle Marcell Dareus for one game to start the season, the Bills are working hard towards a contract extension. They’re hoping to have the extension done and Dareus locked up prior to the start of training camp, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.

Meanwhile, Dareus is suspended to start the season against the Colts. The league announced on Thursday that Dareus would be suspended one game for violating its substance abuse policy. Dareus expected the suspension and was relieved that it was one game. He apologized for his mistake in possessing the banned substance and said he looked forward to being able to contribute in Week 2.

"“Last year, I made a mistake involving possession of a banned substance,” Dareus said in a statement released by the team. “The NFL’s discipline for this conduct is part of the drug policy, and I apologize to my family, my teammates, the entire Bills organization, and Bills fans that I will miss one game as a result of my mistake. I will work intensely that week and will be extremely happy to contribute to a win in week two for the Bills.” (via USA Today)"

Dareus was arrested in May of last year while driving in his home state of Alabama. He was pulled over for speeding and then police found synthetic marijuana as well as drug paraphernalia in his vehicle. Both of these are considered Class C felonies and would normally result in a minimum jail term of one year, had Dareus been indicted and later found guilty after a trial.

Possibly the disturbing part is that, only three weeks later, he was arrested in New York on three misdemeanor charges. Reckless driving, reckless endangerment and participating in a speed contest. In order to get the charges dropped in the first case, Dareus was required to attend a pretrial intervention program. His attorney recently said that Dareus was still in the program and had not had any setbacks in completing it. In the second case, Dareus reached a plea agreement that allowed him to get off with just paying two traffic tickets. He was actually racing with teammate defensive end Jerry Hughes.

Despite all this, the Bills are quite serious about extending Dareus, with Bills GM Doug Whaley saying that the team feels Dareus’s off-field issues are behind him. Remembering that all these incidents happened last year, it’s certainly possible for Dareus to have displayed an upgrade in maturity since then. That seems to be Whaley’s and the Bills’ feeling as they move forward in trying to extend him.

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