Marcell Dareus: I feel like the Bills don't want me here
Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus was not pleased with Buffalo's most recent contract offer and feels undervalued by the team, he toldThe Buffalo News on Thursday.
“They’re making it hard,” Dareus said of the contract negotiations. “And it’s just really making me unhappy. ...I feel like they don’t want me here as bad as I want to be here, as bad as the fans and my team wants me here. I feel like they’re saying, ‘Whatever. You come a dime a dozen.”
The Bills offered Dareus a six-year contract worth more than $90 million, The Buffalo News reports, but Dareus has referenced defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh when asked how much he would like to be paid. Suh, the second pick of the 2010 draft and a four-time Pro Bowl selection, signed a six-year, $114 million contract extension with the Dolphins this off-season.
“I’m going to do my thing,” Dareus said. “I’m not going to do anything less because my resume is my resume and I want to make sure they know I’m going to do what I have to do regardless—paid or not. If I’m unhappy, I’m unhappy.”
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The Bills chose Dareus with the third pick of the 2011 NFL draft. He is entering his fifth year with the team and the final year of his rookie contract. Dareus has missed only one game over his career and has started all but three. He recorded 10 sacks and 35 tackles in 2014 and was selected to his second consecutive Pro Bowl.
The Bills finished second in the AFC East in 2014 with a 9–7 record last season. Under new head coach Rex Ryan, the team is currently 1–1 in preseason play.
- Erin Flynn
