Jerome Simpson: Why Bengals WR Proves Carson Palmer Isn't Cincy's Only Problem

It had been some time since we all heard of a Cincinnati Bengals player getting arrested.

What used to be a go-to punchline for fans and writers alike had been usurped by the drama surrounding exiled quarterback Carson Palmer and the mismanagement of the organization by owner Mike Brown that it represents.

Now, we're back to the same-old same-old. Bengals wide receiver Jerome Simpson and offensive linemen Anthony Collins were detained and questioned by police after a package containing 2.5 pounds of marijuana was shipped to Simpson's home in a Kentucky suburb of Cincinnati. 

Upon searching the home, an additional six pounds of pot were found, along with scales and other items consistent with what Tommy LaNier of the National Marijuana Initiative said was "a potential distribution network."

Since 2000, 35 Bengals have been arrested for offenses more serious than just traffic violations, not including this most recent incident with Simpson and Collins. This can't be just a coincidence. It represents yet another example of the total mess the Bengals organization has become under the aegis of Brown.

Much of this can come down to failures in scouting and a skewed perception of risk-and-reward. The Bengals have been much-maligned for their one-man scouting department (most teams have a whole crew of scouts) and upon the contract extension given to head coach Marvin Lewis, Brown stated that there are no plans to change their scouting philosophy.

Obviously a single scout cannot make up for the work usually given to a whole department of talent evaluators and their assistants. The Bengals are willing to take chances on players with a history of legal troubles and personal drama; whether in these players they see financial or on-field value, or that they don't consider these histories altogether is unknown.

Considering that none of the 35 Cincinnati players arrested since 2000, save running back Cedric Benson, have turned out to have a positive impact on team performance, one would think they'd try to shy away from these risky signings.

Granted, Simpson and Collins aren't on that list, but just a little delving into the private lives of the players they are interested in would easily raise some red flags. Certainly, if the two players are indeed involved in a large-scale marijuana distribution network, this didn't just happen overnight.

That the Bengals organization doesn't seem to have any idea what their players are up to, and that they don't seem to have any interest in finding out, is yet another indication of how mismanaged the team really is.