Dareus Suspension Adds to List of Players Lost in Offseason

The Bills’ roster has continued to get thinner and thinner as injuries have plagued them the entire offseason. The team yet again lost a crucial part of the defense, but this time injury was not to blame. Defensive tackle Marcell Dareus was suspended by the NFL last night for failing a marijuana test, and will be suspended for the first four games of the season. It is yet another blow for a season that has not even started yet. Dareus, who has a history with getting in trouble and suspended, knows that words can only do so much, and that actions speak louder.

“Words doesn’t mean anything now,” said Dareus. “It’s all action, and that’s all I’m going to do. I’m going to come back and do the best that I can. I’m just apologizing to my team, and my family, and I embarrassed my kids, and who I am and who I’m working to be…I’m apologizing to [owner] Terry [Pegula] and Rex [Ryan] and everyone else, and everyone for having my back and said, ‘We’re family, we’re going to stand by you,’ but at the same time, like I said words doesn’t mean anything now. It’s all action.” Head coach Rex Ryan, while frustrated and disappointed, believes that not only can Dareus learn from this whole situation, but so can the rest of the team.

“Guys are going to learn from this,” Rex said. “Let someone else’s unfortunate thing happen, but you need to learn from it also, and hopefully we don’t have these things. I realize, I recognize, nobody’s perfect, but we need to learn from these things, and hopefully moving forward we don’t have these things occur anymore.” He also said that there will be a set plan in place while Dareus is out for the team, but that he is going to have to make better decisions going forward and that’s it up to him to do that. There was also a report that linebacker Manny Lawson was going to be suspended one game due to a domestic violence incident, but Rex said the report is false. There was also a scuffle in the middle of training camp on Wednesday between cornerback Ronald Darby and wide receiver Walt Powell. Center Eric Wood would end up coming between the two players, and would break it up. Rex said that a message like that in practice will help translate into more discipline on the field during games.

“I think sometimes when you look at it, you realize you’re affecting more than just yourself,” said Rex. “You’re affecting your team, and that was kind of the message. I’m sure that was a message that Eric was trying to get through to Walt that way, and it was a similar thing we talked about to the whole team, because in that situation, Darby pushes back or whatever, he gets a penalty. Now you got to defend it again, where the clock would run down and nobody would’ve gotten the play off, so the game’s over. So, those things you got to learn from, and hopefully if something like this happens, you realize a selfish act is, those are the things we’re trying to avoid as a football team.”

As for the injuries, Rex said that defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman is still out with an ankle injury that occurred back at Monday’s practice, and that safety Aaron Williams is still going through concussion protocol after colliding with wide receiver Dezmin Lewis back last week. Left tackle Cordy Glenn and offensive guard Richie Incognito were also still out as well. Despite all of the negative news that has happened over the past few months, Rex knows that long term things are looking up.

“I see the big picture,” explained Rex. “I also see that this defense is improving, and I’ve said it from Day One. We’re going to be better. We will definitely be better than we were last year, in my opinion. And, regardless of those [injuries and suspensions], this defense will be better.” The Bills practice again tomorrow night at 6:00. The team’s next game is on Saturday against the New York Giants at 4:30 on the field of Ralph Wilson Stadium, which will be renamed to New Era Field.

Save