Well the Bills are certainly having a bad off-season. Star defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, recipient of a 6-year, $96 million contract in 2015, has been busted for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy and will be suspended for the first four games of the season.
Bills DT Marcel Dareus is facing a four-game suspension for another violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 16, 2016
Marcel Dareus still could appeal four-game suspension, but Bills now are in grave danger of losing yet another key defensive player.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 16, 2016
#Bills DL Marcell Dareus' looming suspension stems from marijuana, I'm told -- failed or misses drug tests. News came within the last 2 hrs
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 16, 2016
The Patriots and the Bills square off in week 4 of the season, which means that Dareus will likely be out for the match-up. Dareus was suspended for the first game of the 2015 season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, too.
The Bills has been devastated with injuries and suspensions in recent weeks.
Running back Karlos Williams has been suspended for the first four weeks. Outside linebacker Manny Lawson is suspended for one game due to a domestic violence violation, and is also returning from a torn pectoral muscle.
1st round pass rusher Shaq Lawson is on the PUP list after a shoulder surgery and likely won’t return until mid-season. 2nd round pick linebacker Reggie Ragland is missing the full season with a torn ACL.
Pass rusher IK Enempkpali tore his ACL and will be out for the entire season. Right tackle Seantrel Henderson will start the season on the reserves due to Chron’s disease. Safety Aaron Williams suffered a concussion last week. Left tackle Cordy Glenn suffered a high ankle sprain.
And these aren’t back-of-the-roster players. All of them are projected starters, or in the cases of Karlos Williams and Enempkpali, top guys off the bench.
Dareus is a handful in the middle of the defense and his absence will limit what head coach Rex Ryan can do in order to fluster Jimmy Garoppolo in the week 4 showdown.