FanHouse Kalvin Pearson

Desperate to upgrade their struggling and banged-up secondary, the Lions acquired safety Ko Simpson from the Bills on Friday for an undisclosed draft pick.

By all accounts, Simpson will start at safety opposite rookie Louis Delmas, assuming Simpson passes his physical and settles in before Week 1. Simpson started 15 games for Buffalo last season, intercepting two balls and making 76 tackles.

Detroit likely coughed up a mid-round pick in this deal -- a move that would be extremely worthwhile for the Lions. Before the trade, Kelvin Pearson was penciled in, hesitantly, at Detroit's second starting safety spot. Pearson has had a miserable preseason and Detroit's been actively looking to upgrade.

Detroit Lions safety Kalvin Pearson is charged with what may be the most sickening crime related to an NFL player since Rae Carruth, and the Lions' response is a fascinating case study in the way that NFL teams deal with players who get into off-field trouble.

Pearson was charged with aggravated battery on a pregnant woman and domestic battery by strangulation after a woman who says she is pregnant with Pearson's child called police and said he grabbed her hair and neck and choked her, "making it difficult for her to breathe." Police identified and took photos of "red marks and bruising all around her neck."

Here is the Lions' response:

"We'll get as much information as we can right now," Lions president Matt Millen said after the NFL draft Sunday. "We'll get all the information, and then we'll deal with it after we find out all the facts."

Other NFL teams have acted swiftly when players have been charged with less serious crimes by simply cutting the player, saying they won't allow one player to tarnish the organization. The Lions, however, won't do that, because they're already on the record as saying they signed him because of his great character. And if there's one thing we know about the Detroit Lions as an organization, it's that they don't admit their mistakes.

So the Lions won't follow the lead of the Steelers with Cedrick Wilson; they'll follow the lead of the Steelers with James Harrison. They'll "gather information" designed to justify keeping Pearson on their roster.

When the Detroit Lions announced that they had signed safety Kalvin Pearson to a three-year contract two weeks ago, the coaches and front office praised his character.

No one ever said the folks in the Lions' front office know what they're doing.

Pearson is in a Tampa jail after he was arrested on felony domestic violence charges this morning.The charges he faces are aggravated battery of a pregnant female, domestic battery by strangulation and obstructing or opposing an officer.

The Lions signed Pearson to a three-year, $3.5 million contract. Several other NFL teams have released players who faced serious charges such as these, but don't expect the Lions to do the same.

Hat tip: Pro Football Talk.