The Bills need defensive tackle Marcell Dareus.
But it will be a few more days before they give him a chance to come back.
The troubled defensive tackle failed his conditioning test at the start of camp, and won’t be given a chance to re-take it until Thursday, according to Sal Paolantonio of ESPN.
“Dareus has a good heart,” Bills coach Doug Marrone said. “We will get him in shape. We need him to play football for us.”
The heart hasn’t been a question for Dareus as much as the head this offseason, after being arrested for synthetic marijuana possession and drag racing.
But with the losses of linebacker Kiko Alonso to injury and safety Jairus Byrd to free agency, the Bills can’t afford another foundation player on defense going away.
So they’ll give him time, and apparently encouragement, to get himself back.