Marcell Dareus, Jaguars Reportedly Agree to Restructured Contract Through 2020

The Jacksonville Jaguars and defensive tackle Marcell Dareus reportedly agreed to a restructured contract Wednesday.

According to ESPN's Field Yates, the restructuring will clear $5.0 million in salary-cap space for the Jags and result in Dareus making $2.8 million in base salary next season. Also, Yates reported that the new deal will pay Dareus a $5.0 million bonus up front and eliminate the final year of his contract, meaning he is now signed through 2020.

The 28-year-old Dareus has spent the majority of the past two seasons with the Jaguars after breaking into the NFL with the Buffalo Bills. In his first full season with the Jags in 2018, Dareus started all 15 games he appeared in and finished with 32 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble and one safety.

Buffalo selected Dareus with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft out of Alabama, and his results were mixed.

Dareus was named to the Pro Bowl in 2013 and 2014 and was a First Team All-Pro in 2014. He also had 28.5 sacks as an interior lineman over his first four seasons, including a career-high 10 in 2014.

But his play dropped off after the 2014 season, and he had just 8.5 sacks over the past four seasons combined. After Dareus got off to a slow start in 2017, Buffalo dealt him to Jacksonville in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick.

While Dareus' play has continued to be uneven in Jacksonville, he can be a dominant player when he is on his game, both from a pass-rushing and run-stuffing perspective.

Although the Jags went from reaching the AFC Championship Game in 2017 to going just 5-11 last season, they still had a strong defense that ranked fifth in total defense, second against the pass and fourth in points allowed.

If Dareus and the Jacksonville defense can keep up that level of play in 2019, then the Jaguars have a good chance to bounce back, provided they can find an answer at quarterback.