Carson Palmer Trade: Why Al Davis Would Have Made This Deal

The Oakland Raiders have a new quarterback, a former Heisman winner and first rounder at that, but would Al Davis be happy?

It's true Al Davis loved to deal, and its likely he was the brains behind the Raiders acquisition of LB Aaron Curry. The Raiders did get a steal with Curry offering up a seventh-rounder in 2012 and a conditional pick in 2013 for the former No. 4 pick.

Curry has immense physical gifts, exactly what Al Davis loved to pursue in drafts and on the free-agent market.

How would he have felt about the Raiders most recent trade? Probably not as great.

He would have loved the player acquired, but perhaps not the price.

Al Davis was a bargain hunter, he loved to pick up players off the scrap heap and rehabilitate them, but he would never pay a premium price. Scrap-heap players are suppose to be cheap, but the Raiders certainly paid for Palmer.

Granted, he's wasn't on the scrap heap, just on the under employed list. The price, ay there's the rub. The Raiders gave the Cincinnati Bengals their first-round pick in 2012 and a second-round pick in 2013 that could become a first-round pick if the Raiders win a playoff game.

Will they? They'd like to hope so.

The loss of Jason Campbell was certainly a shocker for a finally rejuvenated franchise, and with the deadline looming they needed to acquire a quality quarterback. They got that in Palmer—he's played for several years, knows the league and he knows Hue Jackson.

However, he hasn't played this season and is expected to lead the Raiders for their final 10 games into the playoffs. Its no short order, but it is potentially doable.

Al Davis loved to take risks on draft day, through trades and in free agency. Some haven't worked well, see Javon Walker and JaMarcus Russell, others have been better, Richard Seymour and Jacoby Ford for example. This is another big risk, essentially sacrificing the entire 2012 draft for a chance to win today.

Can't really blame him, the Raiders haven't been good since 2002 and to let a potentially winning season slip away because of one ill-timed injury doesn't seem like a good idea. Hue Jackson put all his eggs in one basket with this one, but I think Al Davis would have approved.

While Al did love his draft picks, his slogan was "Just Win Baby!" That's exactly what the Raiders are trying to do, and with Palmer, they just might.