Fansided

49ers WR Jerome Simpson suspended six games

By Josh Criswell

Aug 16, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jerome Simpson (81) prepares for the game against the Arizona Cardinals at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 16, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jerome Simpson (81) prepares for the game against the Arizona Cardinals at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports /
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San Fransisco 49ers wide receiver Jerome Simpson has been suspended for six games as a result of a marijuana possession citation he received last July.

Jerome Simpson was expected to compete for playing time at wide receiver during his first season with the San Francisco 49ers. Unfortunately, he will not be seeing the field until Week 7 at the earliest.

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Simpson was suspended by the NFL on Tuesday for the first six games of the upcoming season, stemming from a July citation for marijuana possession. The announcement comes as no surprise to the 49ers front office, who had been expecting a suspension to be handed down when they signed him this offseason.

Per the San Jose Mercury News:

"“The probability of a suspension was known when we signed Jerome,” general manager Trent Baalke said in a statement. “Since joining the 49ers, Jerome has proven to be a great teammate. Although he will not be able to participate in the first six weeks of the season, Jerome has done everything asked of him, both on and off the field. We are in full support of the NFL’s decision, and look forward to Jerome’s future contributions to our organization.”"

The fact that the suspension was only six games should be somewhat of a relief to both Simpson and the 49ers organization. Simpson was serving a three-game suspension for drunken driving at the time of the citation, in what was just the latest in a pattern of substance abuse related issues since entering the league in 2008.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he was facing a potential 10-game suspension as a result of his latest transgression.

While he appears to have been given some leniency in this instance, Simpson will certainly be on a short leash in regards to any future off-the-field issues.

His troubles with both the law and the NFL front office date back to 2011, when he was arrested on charges of marijuana trafficking. He received three-game suspensions for both this incident and his aforementioned drunken driving arrest, and it would not be surprising to see commissioner Roger Goodell punish him to the fullest extent if he slips up again.

Simpson was released by the Minnesota Vikings last September after news of his marijuana possession citation broke, and was not picked up by another team during the 2014 season.

He signed a two-year contract with the 49ers back in March, and is battling for the No. 3 wide receiver spot.