Carson Palmer: Why the Bengals Are Forced To Listen To His Demands

Carson Palmer told the Cincinnati Bengals recently he wanted traded out of town or he would retire.

The Bengals, who don't negotiate with terrorists, informed Palmer he would not be traded and then hired Jay Gruden to run the offense.

Palmer responded by putting his house up for sale.

To quote a recent commercial, "Well played, Mauer."

This now is a game of chicken, but the Bengals would be wise to start taking Carson Palmer a lot more seriously, and here are some reasons why.

Palmer Holds All The Cards

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 19: Quarterback Carson Palmer #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals calls a play at the line of scrimage while playing the Cleveland Browns at Paul Brown Stadium on December 19, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty

Palmer has stated he has enough money to retire on. By putting his house up for sale, he's putting his money where his mouth is. He has no intention of staying, and the Bengals have to realize Palmer isn't bluffing.

You don't try and sell your house in this market unless you really mean to move. This gives Palmer even more leverage.

Repeating The Mistakes Of The Past Got Them Where They Are Today

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

DALLAS, TX - FEBRUARY 04: Chad Ochocinco of the Cincinnati Bengals asks NFL commissioner Roger Goodell a question during a press conference at the Super Bowl XLV media center on February 4, 2011 in Dallas, Texas. The Green Bay Packers will play the Pitts

Chad Ochocinco demanded a trade a few years ago and that worked out real well for him. It worked out great for the team as well because they've won so many Super Bowls with Ochocinco streaking down the field.

Oh wait, the Bengals haven't won any Super Bowls by stubbornly refusing to trade all the malcontents off their roster, which has done wonders for team chemistry over the years.

The Bengals made several mistakes keeping players who didn't want to be there, and they can't afford to make another.

The Bengals Showed Commitment To Marvin Lewis, Not Winning

Larry French/Getty Images

BALTIMORE, MD - JANUARY 2: Head coach Marvin Lewis of the Cincinnati Bengals coaches against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on January 2, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens defeated the Bengals 13-6. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

Despite the consistently bad teams that have taken the field under Marvin Lewis, the Bengals talked him into staying.

Under Lewis, the Bengals have seen the playoffs twice and have nothing to show for it. Despite giving Palmer two top-notch wide receivers, the team regressed. Palmer had better numbers with the backups at the end of the year.

So the Bengals rewarded Lewis by giving him a new contract and giving Palmer zero incentive to want to come back for another season.

The Bond Between Palmer And Lewis Is Broken

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

INDIANAPOLIS - SEPTEMBER 02: Carson Palmer #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals watches from the sidelines during the NFL preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 2, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Gett

By demanding a trade after Lewis was retained, it says Palmer doesn't trust Lewis to lead this team moving forward.

On the flip side, by demanding the trade, how can Lewis trust Palmer to listen to him?

You can't expect to have sucess if your head coach and starting quarterback don't get along. It's just not going to happen. The Bengals front office has to realize this if they are going to make any kind of intelligent decision.

The Bengals Are In Full Rebuild Mode, Why Keep Palmer?

Oli Scarff/Getty Images

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 04: Construction workers at the Olympic Park wait to see the Prime Minister David Cameron during his visit the site on November 4, 2010 in London, England. Mr Cameron today expressed his desire for the site of the London 2012 O

While the Bengals may not want to admit it, they are in full rebuild mode. This team is two or three years away from competing again.

At Palmer's age, he doesn't want to go through another rebuild or risk another major injury on a team that has little chance of making the postseason. Retiring makes perfect sense when you look at it from this perspective.

Palmer Is Great Trade Bait

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

ATLANTA - OCTOBER 24: Quarterback Carson Palmer #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals against the Atlanta Falcons at Georgia Dome on October 24, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Since the Bengals are going into a full rebuild, why not entertain trading Palmer? He's in the prime of his career, and even if his arm isn't as good as it was coming out of college, he's still a very good quarterback and he's got experience.

The Bengals can accelerate their rebuilding process by unloading Palmer either for another quarterback or other skilled position. At the very worst, the Bengals can get good draft picks for him and just go younger.

The Bengals Have Options

Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

CLEVELAND - SEPTEMBER 2: Dan LeFevour #15 of the Chicago Bears warms up before the preseason game against the Cleveland Browns on September 2, 2010 at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns defeated the Bears 13-10. (Photo by Justin K. Al

The Bengals need to take Palmer seriously because they can't afford to lose out on all the options available at the moment.

This is a unique year for veteran quarterbacks on the market as Donovan McNabb, Vince Young, Kevin Kolb and several others may be available depending on how things shake out.

The Bengals picked up Dan LeFevour off of the Bears last year, and he could be someone to consider a few years down the road if the Bengals trade or sign an aging quarterback to transition the team to a young draft pick.

I'm not saying LeFevour is the answer; I'm pointing out he's an option, as would any quarterback prospect the Bengals may draft this year.

Caleb Hanie came out of nowhere in the NFC Championship game, so there's no telling what a prospect can do until he takes the field and starts trying to read defenses.

Palmer Already Has Moved On, It's Time For The Bengals To Do The Same

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

INDIANAPOLIS - DECEMBER 07: Injured quarterback Carson Palmer of the Cincinnati Bengals looks on from the sideline against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 7, 2008 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Palmer is done with the Bengals—to say otherwise at this point would be a bold statement.

The Bengals went into this situation thinking they would call his bluff, but Palmer doesn't appear to be bluffing.

Sometimes you have to know when the game is over. The Bengals historically have shown they don't understand many things under owner Mike Brown.

It's time for Brown and the Bengals front office to realize Palmer is gone. If they don't trade him, he will retire and the Bengals will lose their franchise quarterback and get nothing in return.

While Palmer may not have a problem with that, the Bengals fans would. It's up to the Bengals front office to make sure the angry villagers aren't at their doors in a few months demanding accountability.