The Buffalo Bills continue to work intensively on their squad. In a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Marcell Dareus was sent to Florida. For the Bills, it wasn’t their first deal this season.
In return for the third pick of the drafts in 2011, the Bills will receive a six-string pick for 2018. Depending on Dareus’ performance, however, this can also become a five-round pick.
For Dareus it is a reunion with Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone who coached the Bills from 2013 to 2014. He’s charging the Jaguar salary cap with $5.73 million. Next year, Dareus is guaranteed $7.35 million.
“The Jaguars approached us today,”Bills Managing Director Brandon Beane said on Friday,”We thought about it and came to the conclusion that it was a good decision for both Bills and Marcell.”
The Bills thus lose the player who put the most strain on their salary cap. In September 2015, Buffalo extended the contract with Dareus for six years, guaranteeing him 60 million dollars. Beane stated that the financial factor was important in the deal. However, the role of Dareus in the current restructuring of the team has not yet been clarified.
Beane, who is the executive director of Bills in his first year, has already traded wide receiver Sammy Watkins to Los Angeles. Cornerback Ronald Darby was also sent to Philadelphia.
Dareus collected 35 sacks in 91 games. In 2013 and 2014 he scored 7,5 and 10 sacks, which brought him trips to the Pro Bowls in those years.