Is Nick Fairley a Forgivable Kid or a Serious Problem Child in the Making?

Nick Fairley has become a problem for the Detroit Lions on and off the field.

As reported by Fox 10 TV in Mobile, Ala.:

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According to troopers Fairley initially refused to stop for the emergency lights and sirens.  When he finally pulled over, troopers said Fairley seemed impaired. The Detroit Lions defensive tackle is facing several charges including DUI, attempting to elude police, and reckless driving.

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Retrace back to the first week of April when Fairley was arrested for marijuana, according to Fox 10 TV.

Two arrests in less than two months make Fairley a concern for the Detroit Lions off the field. On the field, Fairley has simply dealt with injuries, which can be attributed to his lack of production as a rookie.

The Lions certainly have a debacle on their hands, because Fairley was the No. 13 overall draft pick in 2011 and Detroit has yet to see his true potential. Then again, no one is going to see Fairley's true NFL potential if his off-the-field antics keep up.

Fortunately for Detroit, Fairley is still young, and there is time to get him matured and back on track.

What he's done is forgivable because Fairley is not the first pro player—regardless of sport—to get caught with marijuana and arrested for a DUI. Think about all the players in professional sports that have had run-ins with steroids, among other things, and that is arguably more damaging to one's reputation from a career perspective.

These are problems that can be fixed and we can only hope Fairley learns from his mistakes.

On the field, even though his time was limited, we didn't see any crazy antics like Ndamukong Suh. Looking back at his college days and all Fairley did was get the job done in the pads. He was a backfield menace and played hard on every down.

That's the kind of tenacity Detroit has yet to see, however it does exist in Fairley if he can remain consistently healthy as well.

Now, getting arrested twice in such a short span for marijuana and a DUI does not mean Fairley hasn't raised any issues. The Lions just have to decide whether they feel he can change into an upstanding citizen to then develop as a legit contributor on the field.

Detroit's defense needs depth for the defensive line rotation, and Fairley possesses the raw talent to make an impact. His 11.5 sacks and 56 tackles during Auburn's 2010 BCS national championship run are proof of that potential. After his unfortunate offseason of decision-making, though, Fairley's pro football future may be out of his own hands.

It's certainly a reasonable decision if the Lions were to part ways with him, because no team can be Super Bowl contenders unless everyone buys into that possibility. And that includes what happens off the field as well as on it.

Let's hope for his sake that Detroit is willing to give him another opportunity, but Fairley will constantly be on thin ice and have to display flawless character and attitude toward improving as a person and player.

John Rozum on Twitter.