Bills' Dareus suspended 4 games for substance abuse violation

Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus has been suspended for the first four games of the regular season for a violation of the league's substance abuse policy, the NFL announced Tuesday.

Bills linebacker Manny Lawson is also facing a one-game suspension for a domestic violence incident, reports Tim Graham of the Buffalo News.

Schefter adds that, with Dareus, Lawson, and running back Karlos Williams all facing suspensions, the Bills will now face a steep fine based on the league's remittance policy.

The defensive tackle's suspension stems from marijuana use, reports NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, stating Dareus either failed or missed drug tests.

This is Dareus's second-career suspension. He missed the first game of the 2015 season due to a violation of the league's substance abuse policy.

The sixth-year pro was expected to lead the Bills' defensive line after Mario Williams was released in the offseason. Dareus had two sacks and 51 tackles last season.

With these losses, the Bills could potentially begin the season without four scheduled defensive starters.