Bills Have Offered DT Marcell Dareus A Six-Year Extension Worth Over $90M

Update:

Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News reports that the Bills have offered DT Marcell Dareus a six-year contract extension that would pay him more than $90 million.

Carucci adds that Dareus is seeking well over $90 million in his next contract, so it appears as though the Bills are willing to come close to his asking price.

However, Dareus expressed some frustration with contract talks, despite the team’s offer.

“They’re making it hard,” Dareus said, per Tyler Dunne. “And it’s just really making me unhappy. I feel like they don’t really want me here.

“I feel like they don’t want me here as bad as I want to be here,” Dareus added, per Dunne. “I feel like they’re saying, ‘Whatever. You come a dime a dozen.”

Dareus believes the Bills are trying to play him with this offer.

“They’re playing. They’re going back and forth. I play one game, they play this game,” Dareus said of the Bills’ approach towards contract negotiations, per Dunne. “I know what I’m worth.”

“I really want it to be over but at the same time, it’s going to be over when we’re all happy,” Dareus said, per Dunne.

For the sake of comparison, Ndamukong Suh signed a six-year, $114 million contract that included $60 million guaranteed with the Dolphins back in March.

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John Wawrow of The Associated Press reports that contract talks between the Bills DT Marcell Dareus regarding a long-term extension have reached a standstill.

A source mentioned that the two parties haven’t exchanged offers in a few weeks, and there’s a concern right now that an agreement will not be in place before the start of the regular season.

Bills GM Doug Whaley said a few weeks ago that he’s “optimistic” that they’ll eventually be able to get a long-term extension in place with Dareus.

“I’m optimistic, I am,” said Whaley during an interview with WGR Sportsradio 550. “Now will it come to fruition? There are a lot of moving parts, but I’m optimistic when both sides are trying to find a solution where everybody feels they win. We’ve exchanged proposals and we’re working hard. We want to get this thing done,” said Whaley. “Something of this magnitude is going to take some time, but we’re confident that both sides want to get this done.”

Whaley wouldn’t offer any details regarding the type of contract Dareus is looking for, as there has been some recent speculation he may have his sights set on Ndamukong Suh‘s seven-year contract worth in excess of $100 million.

“I’m comfortable giving a contract that we think is right for the Buffalo Bills and he thinks is right for him,” Whaley said. “What that number will be who knows? But we’re just trying to find a middle ground where they feel they’ve won and we feel we’ve won and it’s best for both of us.”

The Bills decided to pick up his fifth-year option, which will pay him a salary of $8.06 million for the 2015 season.

Dareus, 25, is a former No. 3 overall pick and would be among the most sought-after players in next year’s free agent market if the two sides don’t have an agreement in place before then.

Last year, Dareus appeared in 15 games and recorded 49 total tackles, one forced fumble, and a career high of nine sacks. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 4 defensive tackle out of 81 qualifying players.