The Minnesota Vikings received a roster exemption for wide receiver Jerome Simpson, who is coming off a three-game suspension. The Vikings can carry 54 players on their roster until 3 p.m. this Thursday, at which point they must cut someone to get back to a 53-man roster.
Simpson came off his suspension Monday for violating the league's substance-abuse policy, freeing him to join the Vikings for all team activities. Simpson has not been able to play or practice since Minnesota's Aug. 30 preseason finale against the Houston Texans. Simpson caught 50 passes for 725 yards and four TDs with the Cincinnati Bengals last season and was signed to a one-year, $2 million contract by the Vikings in the offseason.
Simpson was sentenced to 15 days in jail on April 5, regarding a Sept. 2011 incident in which police intercepted a package containing two-and-a-half pounds of marijuana headed to Simpson's home. Simpson will make his regular season debut with the Vikings when they take on the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Sept. 30.
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