The wind has been knocked out of Buffalo Bills fans. On Aug.10, they learned that wide receiver Sammy Watkins had been traded to the Los Angeles Rams. They also found out that top cornerback Ronald Darby had been shipped off to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for Jordan Matthews. Matthews was injured 15 minutes into his first practice with Buffalo. A chipped sternum has kept him out of the team’s pre-season games. The security of having the newly acquired Anquan Boldin was short-lived. He announced his retirement on Aug. 20, his rein with the Bills only lasting 13 days.
Linebacker Reggie Ragland was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs this past Monday for a fourth-round pick. Is Marcell Dareus next on Buffalo’s Chopping Block?
The funnel cloud of problems
Bills’ fans could write a full-length novel on the problems that have surrounded Dareus since he was drafted by Buffalo in 2011. He had two NFL suspensions for drugs and was arrested in Alabama three years ago on drug charges. After his suspension last year, Dareus came back onto the field out of shape and proved himself to be just an average player with 3.5 sacks. The 6-year, $108 million contract that Dareus signed two years ago is beginning to feel like a crushing weight for a team that has struggled to find a playoff spot for 17 years.
Dareus’ most recent transgression happened last weekend when Buffalo played the Baltimore Ravens in a preseason match-up. The defensive tackle showed up late for the game. According to ESPN, Coach Sean McDermott told him to not bother getting dressed and sent him home for violating a team rule. The rule that he broke was not revealed to the public.
However, McDermott did not allow him to ride back with the team on the bus.
Is the Marcell magic over?
The first four years for Dareus were his best. His total of 27.5 sacks and 139 tackles displayed his talent. In his past two seasons, the defensive tackle has only registered 5.5 sacks, as stated by Pro Football. His lack of leadership and effort has been noted by many sports analysts.
After coach Rex Ryan was fired in 2016, Dareus stated that his defensive scheme was too complicated. Trading Dareus to another team would save Buffalo some money and possibly some future off-field headaches. Some fans think that the Marcel magic is over. If the franchise is of the same mind, it may not be long before Marcell Dareus finds himself on another team altogether.
