Marcell Dareus 'not necessarily' looking for Ndamukong Suh-type deal

ByMike Rodak ESPN logo
Saturday, August 22, 2015

PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Two days after expressing displeasure about the Buffalo Bills' latest contract offer, Pro Bowl defensive tackle Marcell Dareus clarified his comments Saturday, explaining that he wasn't specifically looking for a deal as rich as Ndamukong Suh's $114 million contract with the Miami Dolphins.

"I'm not necessarily looking at Suh numbers," Dareus told reporters after practice Saturday. "I just want to be treated right, just like every one of us."

Dareus told The Buffalo News after the Bills' preseason win Thursday night in Cleveland that the team was "making it hard" in negotiations and that he felt like the Bills "don't really want me here."

Asked by the newspaper whether he had a specific number in mind for his new deal, Dareus responded, "I'll just say, 'Thank you, Suh.'"

Dareus, who enters the final year of his rookie contract, reportedly was offered a six-year extension worth more than $90 million, according to The News. That deal would average about $15 million per season, less than the $19 million annual average of Suh's contract.

The Bills have leverage because they could assign Dareus, a two-time Pro Bowler and the third overall selection in the 2011 draft, the franchise tag next spring.

"If that's something they consider, there's not really much I could do," Dareus said Saturday. "I'll sign the papers."

Bills coach Rex Ryan reacted to Dareus' comments after Saturday's practice.

"I made of it that he's probably in good position. I mean when you see what the numbers were and all that stuff," Ryan said. "I might settle for those numbers, but I'm not sure. I don't play defensive tackle.

"But obviously that's his business and his agents and our team and things like that. I stay out of the negotiating-type stuff, obviously."

The Associated Press reported Thursday, citing two sources familiar with the negotiations, that the Bills' talks with Dareus had reached a standstill.

Dareus, 25, will earn $8.06 million from the Bills this season.

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