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ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that the Buffalo Bills have exercised a fifth-year option on the contract of defensive tackle Marcell Dareus.
Dareus is entering the fourth year of a fully guaranteed four-year, $24 million contract that he signed as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Since Dareus was drafted in the Top 10, his fifth-year option will be the NFL's transition tag figure for the position, which puts his money in the ballpark of just over $8 million for the 2015 season.
Despite two separate in-game suspensions at the tail end of the 2013 season, which came about due to Dareus being late to team meetings, Bills head coach Doug Marrone has spoken only glowingly of the 24-year-old Dareus this offseason. In his three seasons with the Bills, Dareus has accumulated 153 tackles, 18.5 sacks and a forced fumble. He made the 2013 Pro Bowl as an alternate.