Pro Football Weekly: Three to Four Teams Pursuing Free Agent Wide Receiver Jerome Simpson

Despite his on-the-field inconsistency and his off-the-field legal troubles, free agent wide receiver Jerome Simpson is somehow a hot commodity. According to Pro Football Weekly, Simpson has several teams pursuing the free agent wide receiver, with the St. Louis Rams, who worked him out earlier this month, at the forefront.

Our sources in St. Louis tell us the Rams continue to court Bengals free-agent WR Jerome Simpson, along with three or four other teams, despite Simpson's off-the-field issues.

Jerome Simpson finished the 2011 season as a decently productive receiver, posting 725 yards and four touchdowns. So his football ability isn't so much the problem. Rather issues involving the U.S. judicial system. While only receiving a sentence of 15 days in jail for a felony drug charge, Simpson will likely face some sort of discipline from the league office.

Suspension or no suspension, Simpson's status within the Bengals organization is very much in question. His departure from the team was regarded as a forgone conclusion since the end of the 2011 season, however, Marvin Lewis recently left the door open for a Jerome Simpson return. Add to that the non-signing of a No. 2 wide out in free agency, and the evidence may support the argument that Simpson will be back in Cincinnati for 2012.

Before this report, it appeared as though the only team expressly showing interest in Simpson was the St. Louis Rams--a team he visited earlier this month. A future connection between Simpson and the Rams made sense given the team's deficiencies at the wide receiver position, however now that up to three other teams are in the running as well, that Rams-Simpson picture is not quite as clear.

Given all the evidence, it is still a mystery as to where Simpson will end up.