Jerome Simpsons: Why Bengals Are Making Huge Mistake Letting WR Play

According to Chris Mortensen, the Bengals will allow Jerome Simpson to play versus the San Francisco 49ers.  This is a very controversial decision, as Simpson is being investigated for having several pounds of marijuana delivered to his home.  According to reports, Simpson had a delivery of marijuana sent to his home from Northern California.

The Bengals appear to be taking the innocent-until-proven-guilty approach.  However, it is just another instance of a questionable decision.  The Bengals could have easily held Simpson out of the game, stating they were providing him time to sort out his situation.

Cincinnati has a history of employing players with a history of off the field issues.  They took chances on players such as Cedric Benson and Pacman Jones.  Benson is again in trouble and is facing a three-game suspension.

The decision to play Jerome Simpson shows that the Bengals are more concerned with winning than fielding a respectable team.  I understand that Simpson is innocent until proven guilty, but the charges against him are serious.  There would be nothing wrong with providing him time to deal with his situation.

If you look around the league, you will see that successful teams are also teams with strong character.  The New England Patriots are constantly in the running for a playoff spot, mainly due to their leadership and structure.  They have such a strong base that they are able to take on some players with character issues.  However, there is a difference between providing an opportunity to change and just overlooking character issues.

The Bengals have a lot of young players on their team, and allowing Simpson to play could jeopardize the future of the franchise.  They are setting a bad precedent, saying unless your in jail, you can play.

Jon Dove is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report, covering the NFL and NFL draft. Check him out on Twitter @Jon_Dove42.