Jerome Simpson has been suspended for three games by the NFL for violating league policy on substances of abuse.

A repeat offender, Simpson will now serve his second suspension in three years. His previous ban resulted from a felony conviction for mailing two pounds of marijuana to his Kentucky home. The latest suspension stems from a DUI arrest last November.

Simpson finished 2013 with 48 receptions and 726 yards.

Adrian Peterson told Jerry Jones that he would like to play for the Dallas Cowboys at the end of his tenure with the Minnesota Vikings, according to an "Outside the Lines" report.

"Well, I understand, Adrian," Jones told Peterson during the call. "I'd like that, too ... Well, I love your story. I love your daddy's story. I've always respected what you've been about. I've always been a fan of yours."

The telephone call is recounted as part of an expansive "Outside the Lines"/ESPN The Magazine profile of Jones by ESPN senior writer Don Van Natta Jr. that was published Thursday.

As for the Peterson call, Van Natta was in Jones' suite at AT&T Stadium when a friend of Jones' handed the phone to him. Peterson had talked first to a Morgan Stanley money manager who had attended George Strait's final concert on June 7 at AT&T Stadium. After the concert, Jones and several others remained in the suite; Peterson talked with the man, who handed the phone to Jones without saying who was on the line.

"Well, we'll see what we can do, if we can make that happen," Jones, who is also the Cowboys' general manager, told Peterson. "Hmm hmm ... I'd like that, too ... Well, we're talking pig Latin here, but let's see if we can do that ... We're talking pig Latin here, but let's see what we can do about that. OK, Adrian, thanks."

Bill Belichick is ranked as the best coach in the NFL, according to a poll of 30 league insiders.

Pete Carroll and Sean Payton are ranked second and third and are also in their first tier.

"The most important thing to me is the ability to control the offense, the defense and the special teams," a GM said in describing the ideal coach. "You can change and you can coach multiple things and you have the ability to teach almost every position group. Then you can lose any coach you want and replace from within because the head coach is the talent. Belichick is the ultimate model of that."

Belichick commmanded a 1 vote on 28 of 30 ballots.

In Tier 2 are Andy Reid at No. 4, Tom Coughlin at No. 5, Mike McCarthy and Mike Tomlin at No. 6, Jim Harbaugh at No. 8, John Harbaugh at No. 9, John Fox at No. 10 , Jeff Fisher at No. 11, Chip Kelly at No. 12, Bruce Arians at No. 13, Lovie Smith at No. 14 and Mavin Lewis at No. 15.

Tier 3 is led by Chuck Pagano At No. 16, followed by Rex Ryan (17), Mike Smith (18), Gus Bradley (19), Ken Whisenhunt (20), Mike McCoy (20), Marc Trestman (22) and Ron Rivera (23).

Tier 4 features Mike Zimmer (24), Jay Gruden (25), Bill O'Brien (26), Jim Caldwell (27), Doug Marrone (28), Joe Philbin (29), Jason Garrett (30), Mike Pettine (31) and Bruce Allen (32).

Matt Cassel has been named the Minnesota Vikings' starting quarterback.

Cassel has been in competition for the job with Teddy Bridgewater.

Jerome Simpson could face a three-game suspension due to his drunk driving arrest last season.

Simpson missed the first three games of the 2012 season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

Simpson had 726 yards receiving for the Minnesota Vikings last season, but is behind Greg Jennings and Cordarrelle Patterson on the depth chart.

Teddy Bridgwater agrees with Mike Zimmer that he needs to stop overthinking as he learns the nuances of being an NFL quarterback.

"He's got so much going on in his mind right now that I just want him to play," Zimmer said, per The Star Tribune. "That's what I told him (Wednesday), and that's what I'm going to tell him before the ballgame. Just go play. You've been doing this since you were 5 years old. Go play and have some fun. Throw the ball in there. If you make a mistake, we'll fix it and go on."

Bridgewater agreed with Zimmer, admitting he needs to get out of his own head.

"Basically, I have to stop overthinking," the rookie said. "I haven't been pressing, but I have been overthinking."

Adrian Peterson says he's made major changes to his life since the death of his young son last October.

He learned only two months earlier that he was the boy's father and had been planning to meet him before the boy died Oct. 11. Joseph Robert Patterson, who was dating the boy's mother at the time, was charged with murder and manslaughter after he allegedly assaulted the child.

"It's just made me stop taking things for granted," Peterson said in a recent one-on-one interview with ESPN.com. "Life is short. You never know. You just want to take advantage of the time you do have."

Peterson proposed to his longtime girlfriend on July 4 and they were married on July 19. The couple has one child together.

Peterson said he is more careful to cherish his time with the four children who don't live with him.

"It's time for you to really get your life in order," Peterson recalled telling himself. "When all that stuff came down, it's more like, 'Reality check, man.' It's time to start walking the way you know you need to instead of straddling the fence -- knowingly straddling the fence.

"First and foremost, [it was] getting in alignment what God wanted for me in my life and stop [being promiscuous]. I was pretty much doing what I wanted to do, and I could pretty much do that. [It was] just to get in alignment with God, having a wife and really creating that bond and that life. It was more fulfillment knowing the head man is proud and knowing I'm doing it the right way."

Linval Joseph was struck in his calf by a stray bullet in a downtown Minneapolis nightclub early Saturday morning.

Joseph played for the New York Giants during his first four seasons and signed a five-year, $31.25 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings in the offseason to shore up their run defense at defensive tackle.

The Vikings said Joseph was an innocent bystander at the time of the incident, which occurred inside 400 Soundbar just before closing time.

Teddy Bridgewater has looked impressive for the Minnesota Vikings in camp.

Norv Turner said Bridgewater has been playing at an "awfully high level," per the St. Paul Pioneer Press' Chris Tomasson.

"We need to play Teddy with the first line. We need to mix a lot of players," Turner said. "We want to see Teddy play. He needs to play to go through that first time going out.''