Pac Man’s Coming to Dallas

Well, as much as I hate to write this, it appears Adam “Pac Man” Jones will be a Cowboy next season. The terms of the trade Dallas completed with Tennessee look like this:

-Tennessee will get a 4th round pick from Saturday’s draft and if Jones is reinstated and keeps his nose clean, Tennessee will get a 6th round pick from Dallas in next year’s draft.

-If Pac Man, who is currently serving a year suspension for various misconduct violations, is not reinstated by the NFL commissioner, the Cowboys would get a 4th round pick back from Tennessee in next year’s draft. And if he is reinstated, but screws around and gets suspended again next season, Tennessee would give Dallas a 5th round pick in next year’s draft.

Here is a little background on Pac Man, in case you’ve been on a desert island. Pac Man was the first defensive player (corner back) drafted in 2005, sixth overall out of West Virginia. He was one of the Titans best defensive players as well as one of the league’s best punt returners. In 2006 he had four interceptions and also led the NFL that year with an average punt return of 12.9 yards and three TDs. So clearly, he can play ball and be an effective player as well.

However, his off the field behavior is what got him into hot water with the NFL commissioner. Since he was drafted in 2005, he has been arrested 6 times and been involved in 12 incidents where the police were called to intervene. He did all that in basically 2 years. So, in an effort to curb this recklessness, the NFL commissioner suspended Jones for the ENTIRE 2007 season…which had never been done in the past. The commissioner refused to reduce the suspension to 10 games and said he would consider reinstatement prior to the opening of this season’s training camp if Pac Man continued conducting himself “in a way that represents the NFL in a positive manner.”

Jerry Jones is taking a gamble as he did with Terrell Owens 2 years ago and Tank Johnson last season. But Pac Man’s situation is a bit different than those two guys. While being a malcontent with the 49ers and Eagels, T.O. Owens was not a criminal. And Tank Johnson has come out publicly, taken responsibility for his past problems and promised he would turn over a new leaf, which he has to this point. Pac Man is a serious criminal element and not only has he not publicly taken responsibility for his actions but has been reported of continually visiting a strip clubs, which can’t be good for his case to be reinstated. I don’t care if he thinks he has the right to visit strip clubs…in my eyes that is definitely not “representing the NFL in a positive manner.”

Even though Pac Man’s salary isn’t that much ($1.74 million in 2008) and his upside is HUGE, as a top tier CB and kick returner, I don’t like this move (I also didn’t like Jones bringing in Owens or Johnson at the time). This guy is bad news. He is an idiot, has no character, no class and I predict this is not the end of his legal problems. I’ve heard those in favor of the trade say that Dallas is in a no lose situation because if Pac Man steps out of line, the Cowboys can cut ties immediately and even get a 5th round draft pick back from the Titans. But my question is this: where do you draw the line?

Pac Man Jones is an incredible talent that shouldn’t be reinstated in the league until he can prove he can handle the privileges of being an NFL player. And the flagship franchise of the NFL shouldn’t be taking chances on miscreants like this. Only time will tell if he can shape up. I’m betting he won’t though.