Why is Marcel Dareus still a free agent?

[machine gun kelly]

This is silly.  He’s lazy, fat, underperforming, and was jettisoned from a dumpster fire team.  We already have talent at the position.  It was a bad pick when we could’ve had, Julio Jones, Patrick Peterson, AJ Green, or Watt.  One more example of the countless mistakes we’ve made over a couple of decades.

[Thurman#1]

5 hours ago, BillsVet said:

 

 

Obviously it wasn't about cap because they went out and dropped 50M with 25M guaranteed on a DT mere months later.  Guy affectionally called the human traffic cone by a longtime poster who is not with us right now.  

 

Your assessment on Dareus makes it seem like you were part of the conversation between McD and Beane about the player and what to do with him.  Call me skeptical.   

 

And another thing.  People talk about the "process" (which changes really quickly sometimes) as though it's a secret weapon.  But then Buffalo trades for a talented, albeit mercurial Stefon Diggs.  Or, once tried to trade for Antonio Brown.  

 

I think the "process" talk works because people assign it mythical value and serves as message board fodder for fans.  It's McD trying to establish credibility circa 2017 as a new HC.

 

 

 

 

While it surely wasn't all about cap (they didn't get rid of him till he started missing buses), Dareus' average salary was around $15 mill a year, signed three years earlier when the cap was quite a bit lower. Star's salary compared to that was downright reasonable.

 

There's no proof that we tried to trade for Antonio Brown. All that's known is that we kicked the tires. And while Diggs may be mercurial, in terms of attitude he's no Marcell Dareus. He could still turn out to be a mistake, but he's gotten less productive when he got paid. More, when they jettisoned Dareus they were setting the tone of the locker room. As of now, the tone is set, and it's very good. Part of the reason you build a good culture is because that culture will then affect everyone else you bring in.

 

Process is real. And it's far from only a Bills thing. It's been around for decades in all walks of life and it works. If there's one thing that has appeared to be so about McDermott it's that what you see is what you get. He's straightforward. Not one guy has left saying, "Ah, that process stuff is all nonsense." It isn't. It's his core belief.

[Matt_In_NH]

Talent with no desire /commitment has no value.  So no teams value him 

[Brennan Huff]

I’d like to believe that he has matured some since his time in Buffalo. But I really have no idea. Maybe he doesn’t even care. Maybe he saved his money. The dude was a top 10 DT at his peak. ??‍♂️

[eball]

6 hours ago, BillsVet said:

 

 

Obviously it wasn't about cap because they went out and dropped 50M with 25M guaranteed on a DT mere months later.  Guy affectionally called the human traffic cone by a longtime poster who is not with us right now.  

 

Your assessment on Dareus makes it seem like you were part of the conversation between McD and Beane about the player and what to do with him.  Call me skeptical.   

 

And another thing.  People talk about the "process" (which changes really quickly sometimes) as though it's a secret weapon.  But then Buffalo trades for a talented, albeit mercurial Stefon Diggs.  Or, once tried to trade for Antonio Brown.  

 

I think the "process" talk works because people assign it mythical value and serves as message board fodder for fans.  It's McD trying to establish credibility circa 2017 as a new HC.

 

 

What a skeptical, bitter take. And completely wrong. 

[HOUSE]

He got the money then retired. Happens all the time in the NFL

[BringBackFergy]

McDermott wants players who will run through a brick wall for their teammates....Dareus will run through that same wall for Mongolian BBQ. 

[YoloinOhio]

 

[Buffalo Boy]

8 hours ago, Mango said:

I still think it was a mistake because

 

1. He was still productive at the time

2. We wouldn’t have been in “cap hell” had we just waited a few months. 
3. Its a coaches job to work with tough athletes, not cast them aside in short order to find easier ones. Marrone hasn’t been able to manage Dareus or 60% of his roster because he sucks. 
 

That doesn’t mean that he should be an all pro. Or even that good. But cutting him that quickly created a large hole, where we had to over pay his replacement, and eat his salary, all while he was still productive at the time. 
 

I would be been fine letting him go the year after. It would have halved his dead cap space. 

Like a girlfriend who’s still grudging about that one time , nine years ago.....?

[eball]

I think this ship has sailed...

[Victory Formation]

Dareus is a free agent because he mailed it in after getting paid..

[Mark80]

Because he is already rich and he is lazy and he loves smoking doobies.

[Mr. WEO]

come on with this....

[Buffalo03]

6 hours ago, uticaclub said:

Pro Bowler in 2013 & 14

Ok. Was he an alternate or an actual voted in player? All those other players made the pro bowl in their first 2 years. I know Dareus was the last one

[nucci]

10 hours ago, KollegeStudnet said:

He has been through a lot. Would not be surprised if the Pats get him at league minimum

of course...wouldn't be a thread without mentioning Patriots signing the guy

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

7 hours ago, BillsVet said:

 

 

Obviously it wasn't about cap because they went out and dropped 50M with 25M guaranteed on a DT mere months later.  Guy affectionally called the human traffic cone by a longtime poster who is not with us right now.  

 

Your assessment on Dareus makes it seem like you were part of the conversation between McD and Beane about the player and what to do with him.  Call me skeptical.   

 

And another thing.  People talk about the "process" (which changes really quickly sometimes) as though it's a secret weapon.  But then Buffalo trades for a talented, albeit mercurial Stefon Diggs.  Or, once tried to trade for Antonio Brown.  

 

I think the "process" talk works because people assign it mythical value and serves as message board fodder for fans.  It's McD trying to establish credibility circa 2017 as a new HC.

 

 

 

Never change, sunshine.

 

[atlbillsfan1975]

9 hours ago, Mango said:

I still think it was a mistake because

 

1. He was still productive at the time

2. We wouldn’t have been in “cap hell” had we just waited a few months. 
3. Its a coaches job to work with tough athletes, not cast them aside in short order to find easier ones. Marrone hasn’t been able to manage Dareus or 60% of his roster because he sucks. 
 

That doesn’t mean that he should be an all pro. Or even that good. But cutting him that quickly created a large hole, where we had to over pay his replacement, and eat his salary, all while he was still productive at the time. 
 

I would be been fine letting him go the year after. It would have halved his dead cap space. 

I think he was traded to further reenforce players buying into ‘the process’.  Marcel doesn’t seem to be a try hard guy.  McDermott wanted it to work out because he knew what kind of talent Marcel is and values DT’s being a defensive minded coach. Once Sean realized that Marcel didn’t have the attitude he valued, Marcel was traded.

[Niagara Bill]

He became Mike Williams second coming. What a wasted draft pick. As I recall, like Williams his wonderlic score was overlooked. 

The teams that have people with the ability to accept psychological signs have an important edge in the draft. I can see how film and workouts can be so tempting that the mental warning signs get discounted. 

[teef]

he's fat. that's it.

[dollars 2 donuts]

3 minutes ago, teef said:

he's fat. that's it.

 

It’s the sole reason why you haven’t seen the Bills sign me in the last 20 years.
 

...that I am talent challenged.

[teef]

1 minute ago, dollars 2 donuts said:

 

It’s the sole reason why you haven’t seen the Bills sign me in the last 20 years.
 

...that I am talent challenged.

you have intangibles though.

[nucci]

1 minute ago, dollars 2 donuts said:

 

It’s the sole reason why you haven’t seen the Bills sign me in the last 20 years.
 

...that I am talent challenged.

and you yell a lot.....LOUD NOISES

[machine gun kelly]

Donuts, you’re not overweight, just under tall.

[dollars 2 donuts]

3 minutes ago, teef said:

you have intangibles though.

 

2 minutes ago, nucci said:

and you yell a lot.....LOUD NOISES

 

May both of you live to be a thousand years old and bed many women.

 

...if that’s your thing.  I just want you to be happy.

[MarkyMannn]

38 minutes ago, teef said:

he's fat. that's it.

And a danger on the road too ?

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

58 minutes ago, teef said:

you have intangibles though.

That certain je ne sais quoi.

[Buffalo03]

21 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

Really? Dude was a first team all pro in 2014 and I don’t think the Bills ever had as good a season from a DT than they did from Dareus in 2014.... 

First team all pro? I don't think he was that good. It was clarified for me that he did in fact make 2 pro bowls but I'm pretty sure that he was an alternate for one of them. Bottom line, outside of Jake Locker and Blaine Gabbert Dareus was the last one to make a pro bowl "on his own" and not as an alternate compared to everyone else who had already made one by themselves through their first 2 years in the league

[MR8]

Dareus and Albert Haynesworth are two case studies into guys who worked hard to get PAID, then just put it on cruise til they got drummed out of the league laughing all the way to the local Chick-fil-A... and bank too I supposed.

 

He could've been an amazing player, but the "give a *****" gene just isn't there, and now the entire league has seen it.  Why bother bringing in a guy who you know won't try hard and will be a bad influence on those around him?  That's why he isn't signed. 

[hemma]

Just get the hat.

[PromoTheRobot]

In hindsight 2011 was a weak draft. The QBs after Cam? Woof! We could have had AJ Green or Julio Jones but with no franchise QB throwing to them, would they have had an impact? The jewel of the first round was JJ Watt at 11. But overall it was an underwhelming draft.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_NFL_Draft

Edited September 2, 2020 by PromoTheRobot

[Brennan Huff]

22 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

First team all pro? I don't think he was that good. It was clarified for me that he did in fact make 2 pro bowls but I'm pretty sure that he was an alternate for one of them. Bottom line, outside of Jake Locker and Blaine Gabbert Dareus was the last one to make a pro bowl "on his own" and not as an alternate compared to everyone else who had already made one by themselves through their first 2 years in the league

He was absolutely a first team All Pro in 2014

 

https://www.al.com/sports/2015/01/marcell_dareus_earns_spot_on_2.html

[KGun12TD]

12 hours ago, KollegeStudnet said:

He has been through a lot. Would not be surprised if the Pats get him at league minimum

this thought is growing old. The armor is a bit rusty in NE with Marcia gone!

[freddyjj]

12 hours ago, Brennan Huff said:

He’s lazy, he takes plays off, but he’s still very talented. He’s only 30. What’s the deal? I’d bring him in for a workout. Also I apologize if this has already been brought up recently..

I will re-post my response to the May discussion on net result of his trade.  I believe this sums up the league's general response to MD

 

[Steve O]

1 hour ago, MR8 said:

Dareus and Albert Haynesworth are two case studies into guys who worked hard to get PAID, then just put it on cruise til they got drummed out of the league laughing all the way to the local Chick-fil-A... and bank too I supposed.

 

He could've been an amazing player, but the "give a *****" gene just isn't there, and now the entire league has seen it.  Why bother bringing in a guy who you know won't try hard and will be a bad influence on those around him?  That's why he isn't signed. 

So I need to stand up for Haynesworth here. The excerpt below was taken from his "Letter to My Younger Self" located here: https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/albert-haynesworth-letter-to-my-younger-self

The whole article is worth reading but the most pertinent part below

"You’re going to look at this famous NFL head coach in total disbelief and say, “You want to pay me $100 million to grab the center?”

And he’s going to say, with a straight face, “Albert, if you have more than one sack this season, I’m going to be pissed.”

The last thing you’ll say before walking out of the office is, “Can’t you just pay someone $300,000 a year to do that?”

You will lose your passion for football in Washington, and it will be impossible to get back. In retirement, you will discover that your financial advisor has squandered most of the money you made with the Redskins, and he will be under investigation for financial fraud. Thankfully, you will have discovered a passion for restoring houses and buying property during your offseasons. You’ll even open up a BurgerFi restaurant in Knoxville (I know you love burgers). Instead of being on the beach in the Bahamas, like most people probably think you are, you will be hanging drywall in a condo in South Carolina. And you know what? That will make you extremely happy."

 

More recently he has been waiting for a kidney transplant. As of January he had a friend who had passed 3 rounds of donor matching criteria. Haven't been able to find anything more recent, and don't know what Covid has done to the timeline for the transplant. But he certainly hasn't been laughing all the way to the bank.

 

 

Edited September 1, 2020 by Steve O

[Buffalo_Stampede]

[teef]

[MR8]

14 minutes ago, Steve O said:

So I need to stand up for Haynesworth here. The excerpt below was taken from his "Letter to My Younger Self" located here: https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/albert-haynesworth-letter-to-my-younger-self

The whole article is worth reading but the most pertinent part below

"You’re going to look at this famous NFL head coach in total disbelief and say, “You want to pay me $100 million to grab the center?”

And he’s going to say, with a straight face, “Albert, if you have more than one sack this season, I’m going to be pissed.”

The last thing you’ll say before walking out of the office is, “Can’t you just pay someone $300,000 a year to do that?”

You will lose your passion for football in Washington, and it will be impossible to get back. In retirement, you will discover that your financial advisor has squandered most of the money you made with the Redskins, and he will be under investigation for financial fraud. Thankfully, you will have discovered a passion for restoring houses and buying property during your offseasons. You’ll even open up a BurgerFi restaurant in Knoxville (I know you love burgers). Instead of being on the beach in the Bahamas, like most people probably think you are, you will be hanging drywall in a condo in South Carolina. And you know what? That will make you extremely happy."

 

More recently he has been waiting for a kidney transplant. As of January he had a friend who had passed 3 rounds of donor matching criteria. Haven't been able to find anything more recent, and don't know what Covid has done to the timeline for the transplant. But he certainly hasn't been laughing all the way to the bank.

 

 

 

So the defense of him is that after the fact he realized he should've tried more and been smarter with his money? Sounds like the regrets of 90% of retired professional athletes.

 

Also Washington wasn't his last stop, he went to New England and still didn't get back that "passion" for the game.  

[Steve O]

23 minutes ago, MR8 said:

 

So the defense of him is that after the fact he realized he should've tried more and been smarter with his money? Sounds like the regrets of 90% of retired professional athletes.

 

Also Washington wasn't his last stop, he went to New England and still didn't get back that "passion" for the game.  

Guessing you didn't read the entire article. He was aware of how many pro athletes ended up broke and did realize he should be smart with his money, just trusted the wrong guy. My defense is that he hasn't been laughing all the way to Chick Fil A or the bank (your words, his were hanging on a beach in the bahamas.) And that had he been handled differently in Washington he could have continued to dominate. Also, at the time of the article he didn't have regrets, he was happy hanging drywall. 

[ALF]

If he is interested in playing and recovered from his surgery his agent would be working the phones. At the least he could be a space eater DT

[LabattBlue]

Became a fat cat after signing his inflated contract.  He turned out exactly as predicted.  Fat and lazy.  Maybe he can go back to drag racing down Milestrip Rd.  Once a tool, always a tool.

 

Are his supporters still claiming that all his failings are to be blamed on a troubled childhood?