Jerome Simpson has already been displaced by Cordarrelle Patterson in the Minnesota Vikings' starting lineup. Now the veteran wide receiver will be unavailable for the majority of September.
The NFL announced on Friday that Simpson has been suspended for the first three games of the 2014 season for violating the NFL's policy on substances of abuse.
A repeat offender, Simpson will now serve his second suspension in three years. His previous ban resulted from a felony conviction for mailing two pounds of marijuana to his Kentucky home. The latest suspension stems from a DUI arrest last November.
Second among Vikings receivers with 48 receptions and 726 yards last year, Simpson was slated to open this season in the No. 3 role. Expect to see Jarius Wright to pick up snaps alongside Patterson and Greg Jennings in three-receiver sets during Simpson's absence.
On the latest "Around The NFL Podcast," the heroes preview the entire NFC and chat with Giants linebacker Jon Beason.
