Buffalo Bills: Is Marcell Dareus Turning into a Long-term Concern?

With Marcell Dareus struggling to adapt to Rex Ryan’s defense last year and currently dealing with the loss of a close friend, should the Buffalo Bills be worried about what impact this will have on him moving forward?

It’s fair to say Marcell Dareus endured a challenging 2015 campaign for the Buffalo Bills. Look no further than his drop from a single-season high of 10 sacks in 2014, to a career-low 2.0 last year.

A major part of the reason for this, was Dareus’ struggles to adapt to Rex Ryan’s scheme. He was clearly uncomfortable having to sometimes drop into coverage, while also often playing outside containment.

Like former teammate Mario Williams, the 26-year old made sure the media knew about his unhappiness with Ryan’s defense. Speaking to ESPN and the rest of the media during last season, he said: “It’s not been a lot of times where there have been all four of us, full tilt, ears pined back and we’re going after it.

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“They pay us a lot of money and we want to use our talents the best way we know how. If we’re going to be dropping we don’t want to get questions about not getting sacks.”

Of course, the money aspect plays a huge part in all of this, with Dareus signing a blockbuster deal prior to the 2015 season. When the contract includes the most guaranteed money in NFL history for a non-quarterback, maybe you shouldn’t be so public with your gripes.

However, the problems go much deeper went it comes to a contract, which set the 2011 third overall draft pick up for life. While it meant financial security, he started hearing from long-lost so-called friends and family members.

Speaking to Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News, Dareus said: “With money comes a lot of stress. You’ve got to weed out a lot of stuff.

“You’ve got to cut the grass to see the snakes. … I just started seeing people for the way they are. And after all that, I saw where my focal point needed to be and that’s myself.”

Dec 27, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus (99) down after suffering a shoulder injury during the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports /

In terms of who he could actually trust, things got worse for the Birmingham, Alabama native in May, when his close high school friend Jeremy Bennett died from cancer. Bennett is just the latest big loss for him, to go along with his father, mother, brother, grandmother and grandfather, among others – a lot for anyone to cope with, never mind a young man in his twenties.

One of the main ways Dareus has dealt with all the anguish in his life, is to see a psychiatrist and psychologist, even though he was initially dubious. Now, he never misses a chance to tell people how much they’ve helped him.

The two-time Pro Bowler said: “I feel like everyone should see a psychiatrist and psychologist just to make sure their mental state is okay. Because of the position I’m in and how hard I worked, being in the position that it brings, I feel like everyone should have one to help them manage it all and give them techniques — focus techniques — and meditating techniques to just help deal with that mental state on the day to day.”

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Going back to his on-field performance, questions abound about how Dareus will fare in 2016, something which he wonders himself: “Rex has a pretty damn crazy playbook, so we’ll see what he has in mind.

“And he’s adding new plays every damn day. When we get to camp, it’s going to be even more. There’s not really much you can do but sit back and let him do his thing.”

Certainly, the 2014 First-team All-Pro still sounds frustrated by his head coach’s schemes. In that respect, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News noticed he seemed to be brooding during OTAs this past Wednesday, not looking like someone who feels much better about the defense compared to last year.

Ultimately though, the Bills are going to struggle to end their 16-year playoff drought if Dareus is not all-in, something which he claims he is: “I’ll always try to do the best I can, try to get these guys together.

“We’re going to play together and do the best we can and put it in perspective. We know what we’re trying to shoot for and if you’re not shooting for that, we don’t need you here.”

Next: Jim Kelly claims it's playoffs or bust for Rex Ryan

What are your thoughts about Marcell Dareus’ latest setback? Do you believe he will bounce back, or are you concerned about his long-term future? Let us know in the comments section below.

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