ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.

Even if the Bills can somehow afford two $100-million men on their defensive line next season, it’s a moot point unless Marcell Dareus wants to remain in Buffalo.

In an interview at the conclusion of spring practices two weeks ago, the Pro Bowl defensive tackle sure didn’t sound like someone anxious to leave town.

Dareus volunteered more than the usual auto-response praise for those guiding Buffalo’s NFL franchise.

Asked if he realized the Bills’ offence might test the top-shelf defence’s patience again this season, Dareus answered with the following: “Our GM, Doug Whaley, he’s really put a lot of great players together on offence. He knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s putting us with the best guys who will complement our game, if that makes sense. Guys who fit the systems.

“I feel he’s done a great job with that. We’ve got a better locker room, a better team atmosphere, and the organization is slowly but surely changing altogether. I mean, (president) Russ Brandon and the things he’s done in the facility and changing the Ralph for us — really making it our own home. We’re just enjoying it all.”

Dareus’ rookie contract expires in March. With another strong season he could command a new contract worth upwards of $100 million, as defensive end Mario Williams did in 2012.

Ndamukong Suh’s six-year, $114-million free-agent signing with Miami this past March (with $60 million guaranteed) raised the bar for top defensive tackles.

Does that scare Whaley?

“Phew. Yes it does. It does,” Whaley said in March. “Hopefully we don’t have to go to that level.”

BEST EVER TAG 'OBTAINABLE'

After making Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers play like flustered rookies, Buffalo Bills defenders talked big smack last December.

“We’re not shocked at all,” said nickelback Nickell Robey.

Did the Bills possess the NFL’s best defence?

“Yeah, absolutely,” end Jerry Hughes said.

Linebacker Nigel Bradham went a step farther.

“We want to be the best in history — one of the greatest,” he said. “That’s what we’re striving for … the greatest of all time, not just this year or last year.”

They’re still saying it in 2015. Still striving for it, still meaning it.

“Best ever,” tackle Marcell Dareus said in a June 18 interview about the Bills defence’s goal.

Seriously?

“It’s so obtainable,” Dareus said. “All we have to do is continue to do what we want, and not what we can. If we do what we want, and do everything to head in that direction, why can’t we? Why can’t we?”

Dareus then said the following about new head coach Rex Ryan, and compared him favourably to his predecessor, or predecessors.

“We finally have a coach who will really lay it on the line for us,” he said. “I mean, Rex will make the tough calls and really put us in the position to win, regardless of whatever the stakes are. And he’s not going to be buddy-buddy. He’s like, ‘You’re a grown man and I’m going to tell it to you like it is.’

“And that’s what we all need. We’re all grown men. To have somebody babying us, or somebody trying to micro-manage us — I mean, no man really wants to ever be under somebody’s thumb all the time.

“Rex is just that type of guy where he’s going to let you play ball, he’s going to put you in the best situations, and he’s going to do his best not to let you fail.”

The Bills last season ranked fourth in total defence (312 yards per game allowed), third in pass defence (206), fourth in scoring defence (18 points per game), first in sacks (54) and third in takeaways (30).

Even the defence’s long-standing voice of reason, tackle Kyle Williams, is unapologetic about the unit’s history-book objective.

“Yeah, I think big goals and big dreams produce pretty great things,” Williams said in his June 18 interview. “And if you’re not willing to put yourself out there and be held accountable to that, you’ll just be happy with any results that you get.

“That’s not what we want. We want to be the best.”