Polian told by Bills exec Dareus must 'Ship up or Ship out"

[Utah John]

I think Dareus is the single biggest problem on the team. Way overpaid for production. Terrible role model for the younger players. His production:talent ratio has to be among the worst in the league.

 

I get that he had personal tragedy, and that can affect your mind and spirit. At some point that has to be in the past.

 

He should be in his prime years right about now. Show up or get canned.

 

There's a term called "sunk costs" in project management. Once you've bought equipment or supplies, you've bought them, the money is gone, and now you have to look ahead. It's natural to want to hold on to things you paid a lot for, even when you clearly don't need them or they're not right for your future needs. Spending a #3 overall on Dareus is a sunk cost. That ridiculous contract is a sunk cost. Trading him or even cutting him would waste a lot of cap dollars but would give a clear message that EVERYONE needs to be accountable and earn their spot.

[BillsFan17]

Can't have a cultural change without including everyone.

[26CornerBlitz]

I think Dareus is the single biggest problem on the team. Way overpaid for production. Terrible role model for the younger players. His production:talent ratio has to be among the worst in the league.

 

I get that he had personal tragedy, and that can affect your mind and spirit. At some point that has to be in the past.

 

He should be in his prime years right about now. Show up or get canned.

 

There's a term called "sunk costs" in project management. Once you've bought equipment or supplies, you've bought them, the money is gone, and now you have to look ahead. It's natural to want to hold on to things you paid a lot for, even when you clearly don't need them or they're not right for your future needs. Spending a #3 overall on Dareus is a sunk cost. That ridiculous contract is a sunk cost. Trading him or even cutting him would waste a lot of cap dollars but would give a clear message that EVERYONE needs to be accountable and earn their spot.

 

This simply isn't the case from what I have seen.

[Utah John]

 

Offensive Linemen disagree.

Offensive linemen agree: Waffles + pancakes > waffles or pancakes

 

This simply isn't the case from what I have seen.

I wish you had evidence to back this up. You know, multiple pro bowls, All-Pro team selections, that sort of thing. I would love being wrong about this.

[26CornerBlitz]

Offensive linemen agree: Waffles + pancakes > waffles or pancakes

I wish you had evidence to back this up. You know, multiple pro bowls, All-Pro team selections, that sort of thing. I would love being wrong about this.

 

Per your request: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DareMa00.htm#all_all_pro

[Roundybout]

Frazier was just on WGR saying how he is "all in" in meetings and ready to grow and be a "dominant interior lineman."

 

That said, he also said that no one is wearing pads, so you have to keep that in mind and observe drills.

[Tenhigh]

 

 

Yeah, not my best effort. I was trying to get the point in under the max character limit.

It added some mystery and excitement to my otherwise boring day.

[JerseyBills]

Marcell DEAD MONEY:

 

2017 - $38.3 mil

2018 - $22.2 mil

2019 - $7.8 mil

2020 - $1.4 mil

 

Dareus QUIT on his teamies.... like Mario.....just in a different way. drug suspension, out of shape....

 

i'd say it's about 75% likely he gets suspended again.

Yikes

[JoeF]

I think Dareus is the single biggest problem on the team. Way overpaid for production. Terrible role model for the younger players. His production:talent ratio has to be among the worst in the league.

 

I get that he had personal tragedy, and that can affect your mind and spirit. At some point that has to be in the past.

 

He should be in his prime years right about now. Show up or get canned.

 

There's a term called "sunk costs" in project management. Once you've bought equipment or supplies, you've bought them, the money is gone, and now you have to look ahead. It's natural to want to hold on to things you paid a lot for, even when you clearly don't need them or they're not right for your future needs. Spending a #3 overall on Dareus is a sunk cost. That ridiculous contract is a sunk cost. Trading him or even cutting him would waste a lot of cap dollars but would give a clear message that EVERYONE needs to be accountable and earn their spot.

In the real world if I buy a ton of the best copy paper available and the world goes to digital content, I am stuck with the copy paper. I liquidate it. Take my loss and go on. I still have all my resources available with no limits to buy digital reading assets. My mistake on copy paper doesn't hinder me from spending all I have on digital reading assets.

 

In the NFL world, I have a fixed amount I can spend. I try to reserve my big contracts for players who play well, are dedicated to the team and follow the fairly simple off-field code of conduct rules. The issue is if I mess up on paying for one of the big contracts -- I invest in a player who cannot do all three performance aspects of the above and I decide to cut him or trade him--it limits what I can spend for other players. It hinders me. In Darues' case it costs me 4 or 5 decent salary slots for a year.

 

So its really not the same--it damages my team for a while if I cut bait and make a mistake with a large contract. The only message cutting him sends to the existing team is that we want to suck for a while--and don't stay here or come here if you have a choice because we are focused on sucking.

Edited May 24, 2017 by JoeF

[SoTier]

Years ago I heard an interview with Marcel, in which he stated that Nick Saban controlled every minute of his life, and would have to "lighten up" if he was in the pros. It's purely conjecture on my part, but Marcel almost seemed a tad resentful of Coach Saban. That said, I don't remember him getting into trouble at Alabama.

 

I disagree with your interpretation of Dareus' reaction to Saban. I don't remember that interview but I'm assuming it was after Dareus had been a pro for at least a part of a season and had some basis for comparison between how coaches treated players on both levels. Successful big time head football coaches at major schools like Alabama, Nebraska or Penn State are gods who can do no wrong, and if college presidents won't stand up to them, how are 20-year-old kids going to do so? There's no NFLPA to stand up for them, either.

 

I tutored Nebraska football players for one semester back in the early days of Tom Osborne's reign, and got to see some of the culture of big time athletics first hand while a starving grad student. I would never disbelieve any reports of wrong-doing in collegiate athletic programs, particularly those involving the exploitation of the athletes themselves, for that reason ... and the reprehensible conduct of Joe Paterno and his sycophants for years at Penn State underscore that.

 

BTW, Saban failed miserably in his two year stint with the Miami Dolphins with his teams going 9-7 and 6-10.

[likei've]

The subject is moot.

 

Dareus is an extremely talented player, that much is true.

 

I along with many other fans would have flipped our lids if we didn't sign him up. With that said, will he ever justify the payday?

 

It's looking less and less likely but I know he can do it if he wanted to.

 

None of that really matters, he's here whether he performs or not.

Edited May 24, 2017 by likei've

[thunderingsquid]

Yes. Get your ship together, Marcel!

[eball]

I hope no Bills "exec" is leaking anything to out-of-touch Polian. Really, what he said is no surprise to anyone.

Edited May 24, 2017 by eball

[Bill from NYC]

I disagree with your interpretation of Dareus' reaction to Saban. I don't remember that interview but I'm assuming it was after Dareus had been a pro for at least a part of a season and had some basis for comparison between how coaches treated players on both levels. Successful big time head football coaches at major schools like Alabama, Nebraska or Penn State are gods who can do no wrong, and if college presidents won't stand up to them, how are 20-year-old kids going to do so? There's no NFLPA to stand up for them, either.

 

I tutored Nebraska football players for one semester back in the early days of Tom Osborne's reign, and got to see some of the culture of big time athletics first hand while a starving grad student. I would never disbelieve any reports of wrong-doing in collegiate athletic programs, particularly those involving the exploitation of the athletes themselves, for that reason ... and the reprehensible conduct of Joe Paterno and his sycophants for years at Penn State underscore that.

 

BTW, Saban failed miserably in his two year stint with the Miami Dolphins with his teams going 9-7 and 6-10.

As you said, you didn't hear the interview but yes, Dareus was in the pros, with much more freedom. You see, Saban could have tossed him off the team and not lost his job. Darreus HAD to toe the line to an extent for this reason, along with the fact that getting drafted lower would have cost him millions of dollars.

 

And "failed miserably?" Coach Saban wanted the team to sign Drew Brees. Instead, they signed Dante Culpepper. He would have won a superbowl with Brees at some point. But don't let that stop you from being a hater. I know you wish that your favorite team has a coach that was even almost as good as Saban.

Edited May 24, 2017 by Bill from NYC

[mannc]

Wow, talk about hindsight.

 

Dareus was the best D-Lineman in the draft, and that's what the Bills needed.

 

No one could have predicted what would happen in his personal life.

 

He's an outstanding player on defense who for the last two years was asked to play NT, a position he was not meant to play.

 

Yes, he's an idiot for getting himself suspended, and he needs to change his attitude, but he is arguably the best player the Bills have on defense.

So we can't use hindsight to evaluate draft picks? Are we required, then, to simply rely on what Mel and Todd and Mayock said at the time about the pick? At any rate, you did not need extraordinary powers to know that AJ Green and Julio Jones (not to mention Patrick Peterson) were going to have a far greater impact than even a very good defensive tackle.

 

As to your statement that Dareus was the "best d-lineman in the draft", well, that just laughable. He's at best the fourth best defensive lineman taken in the first round that year, behind JJ Watt, Ryan Kerrigan, and Mo Wilkerson. It's a stretch to say Dareus has been better than Cameron Jordan and there is no way in hell he's better than Jurrell Casey, who the Titans took in Round 3.

[vincec]

I just hope this new "all star" front office doesn't build a team full of Chris Kelsey's. At some point actual talent is needed, not just a bunch of "lunch pail"/"high motor" slow lighter skinned guys.

As opposed to lazy, dark skinned, drug addicted thugs?

 

... or are these just racist stereotypes?

[Mark Vader]

Well, pencil me in for Dareus having a great year. I believe when he is used correctly and can attack the QB he is one of the top DT's in the NFL.

Exactly!

 

Dareus is a versatile D-Lineman. You can line him up anywhere and he can be disruptive. That's why he was so great at Alabama, and we've seen him do that here with the Bills.

 

I am very confident that McDermott and Frazier will set up the proper scheme to use him in, and he will excel again.

[LabattBlue]

Dareus has 60 million reasons not to strive for greater things. As long as he doesn't get suspended, what does he care. The worst thing the Bills could have done, is handed this guy a HUGE contract in light of his prior off the field troubles(synthetic marijuana, drag racing, weight issues).

 

 

Now they are stuck with him for at least two years due to dead cap space numbers.

[Mark Vader]

Waufles>Pancakes

Good

 

 

Offensive Linemen disagree.

Better

[Ramza86]

Lol Dareus is the most talented player on the defense.

 

Nobody is gonna cut him. Trade...maybe....but thats not likely.