Earlier on Monday afternoon, Buffalo Bills head coach Doug Marrone informed media that defensive tackle Marcell Dareus had been excused from training camp to attend to personal matters. Jeff Russo of WKBW confirmed with Dareus' attorney, Rod Giddens, that Dareus was in his home state of Alabama on Monday, in attendance for a court proceeding in which he was formally accepted into a pre-trial intervention program.
The news stems from an early May arrest for felony possession of synthetic cannabis and other related drug charges. Successful completion of the intervention program will lead to those charges being dropped, as well as Dareus' record in Alabama being expunged. He is now, however, monitored under the NFL's substance abuse program, per ESPN's Mike Rodak.
Dareus, who has yet to pass a team-administered conditioning test that will allow him to practice, was supposed to return to Fisher on Monday evening, but was delayed by a canceled flight. As soon as he is able to get back on campus, he'll begin work with trainers on the sidelines in an effort to pass that test and hit the practice field. His second stab at that conditioning test may not come until later this week, however.
While Dareus has been out of the lineup - along with veteran Alan Branch, who is on the Active/Non-Football Illness list - both Corbin Bryant and Stefan Charles have seen first-team work at defensive tackle.