Quotables: Marcell Dareus has Doug Marrone’s support despite arrests
Elsewhere, Bruce Arians says it’s Kevin Minter’s time to shine, while Mike Pettine says some players just never get the message.
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
-- Doug Marrone, Bills head coach
The tenuous offseason for Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus continued on Friday with his second arrest in the month of May. Mike Rodak of ESPN.com shared the head coach's comments on Tuesday as the Bills wrapped up organized team activities for the day.
Marrone said that Dareus and the team had come to a mutual decision to have him absent for the rest of OTAs. At this point, Dareus will be on a personal leave of sorts as the legal process stemming from two legal challenges takes shape.
The second and most recent incident came on May 30 when the fourth-year player was allegedly seen drag racing in the afternoon with another vehicle.
Dareus Drag Racing?
“Sometimes guys get the message, but it’s too late.’”
-- Mike Pettine, Browns head coach
Cleveland Browns wideout Josh Gordon isn't doing himself any favors as he prepares to undergo a major legal battle and face substantial league discipline stemming from multiple off-the-field issues.
When speaking with Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com on Tuesday, head coach Mike Pettine seemed to send a message to Gordon and any other player who seemed to flirt dangerously close to being the next casualty of poor lifestyle choices.
Gordon was caught speeding over Memorial Day Weekend and, to make matters worse, one of his passengers was cited for possession of marijuana. That’s not what any coach wants to hear about, especially when that player is already facing a year-long suspension for similar infractions.
If Gordon doesn’t get the message by now, perhaps he never will.
“This is his time.”
-- Bruce Arians, Cardinals head coach via Revenge of the Birds on Kevin Minter
Photo credit: USA TODAY Sports
With Karlos Dansby's absence due to free agency and Daryl Washington's unexpected suspension, second-year linebacker Kevin Minter must step into the mix as a potential starter for the Arizona Cardinals this season.
According to his head coach, that’s a role he’s ready for this year after being ill-prepared for such great responsibility a season ago. The Birds play in arguably the toughest division in football, one where defense is placed at a premium. The challenges they face at both linebacker positions will be one of their primary areas of focus this offseason.
“I don’t believe that one back can carry the load. It’s just too physical.”
-- Jeff Tedford, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator
As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers face major questions at quarterback, their running back situation entering training camp is also as cloudy as ever.
According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford spoke about the difficulty of running backs carrying a full workload on their own in the modern NFL. As such, he expects Doug Martin, Mike James and Bobby Rainey to each have a significant role in toting the rock for the Bucs in 2014.
That’s a far cry from Martin’s near-featured role as a rookie in 2012 when he amassed a whopping 368 touches. When Martin went down with injury last season, James and Rainey each stepped in and showed they could produce as spot starters.
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