Jacksonville acquired Marcell Dareus from Buffalo during the…
Jacksonville acquired Marcell Dareus from Buffalo during the 2017 season for a conditional draft pick that became a 2018 fifth-rounder. Dareus helped fix a struggling run defense and contributed to the Jaguars' AFC Championship Game run. Buffalo cleared a massive contract, selected Wyatt Teller with the eventual No. 166 pick and later traded Teller in a package that produced more draft value, including the selection used on kicker Tyler Bass.
Buffalo Bills Received
- pick 2018 5th round pick (166th overall, Wyatt Teller)
Jacksonville Jaguars Received
- player Marcell Dareus
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Buffalo traded defensive tackle Marcell Dareus to Jacksonville in October 2017 for a conditional 2018 draft choice. The pick was announced as a sixth-rounder but ultimately became the fifth-round selection at No. 166. Jacksonville was contending and needed help against the run; Buffalo was reshaping its roster under Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane while carrying Dareus' large contract and dealing with uneven recent performance.
Why Jacksonville Made Sense at the Time
Dareus helped immediately. The Jaguars already had an elite pass defense but had struggled badly against the run, and his arrival strengthened the interior during a season that ended in the AFC Championship Game. He remained with Jacksonville into 2019, giving the club real short-term value. For a contender, paying a mid-round pick for a former Pro Bowl lineman was defensible, even with the contract attached.
How Buffalo Built More Long-Term Value
Buffalo selected guard Wyatt Teller at No. 166. Teller made only seven starts for the Bills before being traded to Cleveland, where he later became a star, so Buffalo cannot claim his Browns production. The Bills did, however, receive 2020 fifth- and sixth-round assets in that later trade; the sixth-round selection became kicker Tyler Bass, a long-term Buffalo contributor. Add the salary relief from moving Dareus, and the Bills created a longer value chain.
Final Verdict
Buffalo earns a B+ and Jacksonville a B-. Dareus helped a genuine playoff run, but the Bills gained financial flexibility and a draft tree that kept producing value. Buffalo Bills Win.