Bills' Marcell Dareus suspended 1 game for violating NFL's substance abuse policy

Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus has been suspended one game for violating the league's substance abuse policy, according to multiple reports.

Dareus was arrested last offseason for possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. He was also involved in a street-racing incident for which he was charged.

"Last year, I made a mistake involving possession of a banned substance," Dareus said in a statement Thursday. "The NFL's discipline for this conduct is part of the drug policy, and I apologize to my family, my teammates, the entire Bills organization, and Bills fans that I will miss one game as a result of my mistake. I will work intensely that week and will be extremely happy to contribute to a win in Week 2 for the Bills."

The Alabama native has been stellar on the field since being drafted third overall in 2011. He's accumulated 27 sacks and 201 tackles over four seasons, missing only one game during that time.

Dareus will still be able to participate in all of the Bills' offseason activities despite the suspension. He remains in line for a lucrative extension and is expected to be a building block of a strong Bills' defense for years to come.