The Minnesota Vikings signed wide receiver Jerome Simpson knowing that there was a solid chance of him missing some time in 2012 due to a substance-abuse violation. It was actually reported two months ago that Simpson would be suspended for three games for the violation, but now we've got confirmation of that.
Tom Pelissero took to Twitter to announce the confirmation from the NFL:
NFL officially confirms what has been known for nearly 2 months: Jerome Simpson has been suspended 3 games for substance-abuse violation.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) June 11, 2012
Simpson has been performing very well in Vikings camp - with reports of him making some acrobatic catches and impressing his teammates. Second-year quarterback Christian Ponder has expressed his excitement for having Simpson and his athleticism on board, but that will be a little tempered with the suspension.
In September 2011, police intercepted a package containing 2.5 pounds of marijuana addressed to Simpson's home, and though the package was not addressed to him specifically, the police found six pounds of marijuana when they entered his home, and he was sentenced to 15 days in jail and three years' probation with a plea agreement.
For more on the Minnesota Vikings, go to Daily Norseman. You can also get all of your professional football news over at SB Nation's NFL hub.