Should the Detroit Lions Sign Adam "Pacman" Jones?

Adam "Pacman" Jones has been nothing more than a problem in his NFL career. As talented a cornerback as he is, his off field incidents have been ridiculous. Recently Jones worked out with representatives of five NFL teams present, the Lions being one of them. Should the Lions take a chance on Pacman?

His incidents have ranged from shootings at night clubs to spitting on women to possible dealings with drug dealers. Jones has been suspended by the NFL for a full season before and was not a clean character after he was reinstated. So why would the Lions bother to sign him?

Outside of being a problem child for the NFL, Jones is also a very talented cornerback. This happens to be a position the Lions are desperate to address. Jim Schwartz, the Lions coach was also one of the coaches on the Titans who drafted Jones. Considering that Jones ran a 4.4 40 yard dash at the recent workout, it is obvious he still has the tangibles to be a very good cornerback in the NFL.

So we have a player who the Detroit Lions need in a bad way, but has a serious history of causing trouble. Yet I believe the Lions can address this situation and come out on top. If the Lions were to offer him a one or two year contract with very little money upfront, the contract would only hurt them while he was playing for them. If he finds himself in any real trouble again, they can cut him and not suffer for it. Another thing the Lions could do is give him a somewhat lucrative contract that is based mostly on incentives. This may give him reason to try hard in order to get his money.

Whether the Lions sign Pacman or not, they will likely still draft a Cornerback in the 3rd or 4th round of the draft. Signing Jones would then allow them to bring the rookie CB along rather than throw him right into the kettle. If Jones lasts only 6 to 8 games before getting into trouble, it will still have been an asset to the Lions and the rookie. If he stays clean and straightens out his life, it would be a huge asset to the Lions in coming years.

Make no bones about it. The odds of Jones finally going straight and staying away from trouble are probably slim, but it is not out of the question. I have heard it many times before that the human brain does not fully develop until we are 25 to 28 years old. This is often the reason young adults do make such stupid decisions. Jones is now 26. So it is not unfathomable to think that he could be ready to grow up now. I think it would be in the Lions best interest to sign him and find out. So long as they go about the contract in a wise way.