Cincinnati Bengals: Carson Palmer Will Ask To Be Traded or He May Retire

ESPN reports that Carson Palmer will issue the Bengals an ultimatum, trade him or he may retire. Currently, Palmer is under contract with the Bengals until 2014.

Palmer, who’s been the franchise’s quarterback, has had a fall from grace in recent years. After his knee injury, he hasn’t been the same. He went from being one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, to being one of the worst performers. Palmer threw 33 interceptions in the past two seasons.

It seems weird that a player that has underperformed as much as he has is in any position to make demands.

In fact, he’s lucky he still has a job.

Still, it’s apparent he sees the big picture. The chance of winning a Super Bowl ring in Cincinnati is gone. He sees that his career is winding down and would like a shot at a ring before he retires.

In this case, it’s easy to see his point. The Bengals’ organization is an example of how not to run an NFL franchise. While they have made attempts in obtaining top free agents and draft picks, there still seems to be a disconnect between the ownership and coaching staff. This trickles down to the team. Anyone who saw the Bengals play this season saw a team full of talent, but short on chemistry.

Regardless of the team’s struggles, this isn’t going to work out. The Bengals have too much money invested in him to let him go and I highly doubt any team will pay him close to his current salary. It might be time to face the conclusion: the ship has sailed on Palmer’s career.