Pros and Cons of Lions Signing Marcell Dareus
As we trudge slowly into the latter part of the NFL offseason, a few holes still remain on the Lions’ roster. Arguably the largest positional need exists on the interior of the defensive line.
While Detroit general manager Bob Quinn attempted to address this early on in free agency and in the later rounds of the NFL Draft, the issue still remains.
One free agent that has been connected to the Lions is former Pro Bowler Marcell Dareus.
MLive.com’s Benjamin Raven offered the following about the former Jaguars defensive tackle:
“Dareus isn’t the All-Pro he once was, and he’s struggled with injuries, but proven to be a real disruptor when on the field.”
For a little more information on Dareus, let’s dig into the pros and cons of adding him.
Pros
1.) The two-time Pro Bowler has an impressive resume, and was selected as a first-team All-Pro in 2014. He brings to the table the experience and football IQ to boost any defensive line.
2.) When healthy, Dareus is a stat machine and a monster on the line. In his most productive season back in 2014, Dareus had 10 sacks, 12 tackles for loss and 14 quarterback hits. If Dareus could provide anywhere close to those numbers again, he would be a force to be reckoned with.
3.) Standing at 6-foot-3 and 331 pounds, Dareus is a behemoth on any defensive line, and his physical presence alone will be an added benefit to a team. Defensive tackles weigh on average 310 pounds in today’s NFL, which makes Dareus a player to watch out for if you’re a member of the opposition.
Sam Greene, Cincinnati Enquirer
Cons
1.) Dareus suffered an injury-shortened season in 2019 with the Jaguars, only playing in six games. Question marks remain regarding whether he can stay healthy as he enters the latter part of his career.
2.) Since entering the league in 2011, Dareus has put together a consistently productive career on the defensive line. However, 10 years of grinding between the trenches can wear on even the best of players, and there are question marks on how much is left in the tank. In a recent article on Bleacher Report, the site went in-depth on the average amount of years for the top performers at each position. For defensive linemen, after year No. 12 in the league, there is a strong drop-off in production. Dareus is entering his 11th season in 2020.
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