Jerome Simpson Avoids Jail Time; Could Still Be Disciplined By NFL

While Erin Henderson was out getting arrested for suspicion of DUI for the second time in two months, one of his teammates was in court facing a similar charge. And while he may have avoided a stint in the Minnesota Penal League, there's a chance he could face discipline from the NFL's higher powers instead.

On Thursday, Jerome Simpson pleaded guilty to third-degree DWI and careless driving. He was sentenced to 120 hours of community service, which he will serve in public schools, and had a 15-day workhouse sentence stayed. He is also on probation for the next year. He could also face additional punishment for violating the terms of his probation from his marijuana mailing incident as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals that said he was forbidden from using alcohol during the time he was on probation.

Since Simpson has been arrested for the second time in two years, and has already served a three-game suspension for running afoul of the NFL's Substance Abuse Policy, there seems to be a pretty good chance that he could face discipline from the league. He is set to become a free agent in March, and you would think that the league would come to a determination on this whole thing prior to that point, as it would markedly affect his status.

I'm not sure if the Vikings had any real designs on bringing Simpson back. He'd be no more than a third receiver on the Minnesota depth chart at this point anyway. If the team was thinking of bringing him back, though, his off-field issues might be enough for the team to look in another direction.