NFL Trade Rumors 2011: Will Carson Palmer End Up Retiring This Offseason?

There's a chance this could be it for Carson Palmer.

The Bengals quarterback has requested a trade and threatened to retire if the move isn't made. Team owner Mike Brown said he doesn't plan to trade him and has continued to point to his current deal, which runs through 2014.

Left tackle Andrew Whitworth, one of Palmer's close friends on the team, discussed the issue with the Cincinnati Enquirer.

"It’s one of those things where I have my own selfish motives, and I’d love to have him back but that’s one of those decisions where Carson wouldn’t speak out unless it was something he was serious about," Whitworth told the paper.

"He’s not the kind of guy to bring this up and just throw it out there as a bargaining tool. He’s serious. It’s one of those deals where I’ll let him have his feelings and I’ve told him that if he ever wants to talk to me about it I’d love to but you have to let him make his own decisions about what is best for him and his family. That’s what you want."

Will Palmer stay or retire? Here are five reasons he stays and five he retires:

Reason No. 5 He Stays: Watch the Draft and Free Agency

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TUSCALOOSA, AL - NOVEMBER 07: Marcell Dareus #57 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates his sack against the Louisiana State University Tigers at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 7, 2009 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Maybe I'm way off, but I have a feeling Palmer will be singing a different tune if the team is smart in its decisions in the offseason.

The Bengals need to pick up a defensive end, wide receiver, running back and inside linebacker.

They will have the fourth pick in the draft, too, and they could get a major boost if they land someone like Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus.

With the right players, the Bengals could quickly leap from being a middle of the pack team in the NFL to a quality team that could make the playoffs.

Reason No. 5 He Retires: Enough Is Enough

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CINCINNATI - NOVEMBER 21: Carson Palmer #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals walks off of the field after throwing an interception late in the fourth quarter of the Bengals 49-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills at Paul Brown Stadium on November 21, 2010 in Cincinnati,

Wouldn't you be tempted to throw in the towel if your team consistently underperformed?

Since his rookie year in 2004, Palmer has experienced two winning seasons and played in an offense that has been in the top 10 in yards three times (2005-2007).

The defense has only been in the top 10 in 2009. 

Last season, the Bengals also had a 10-game losing streak.

Reason No. 4 He Stays: Not Far Off

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BALTIMORE, MD - JANUARY 2: Carson Palmer #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals runs the ball before fumbling with less than two minutes to go in the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on January 2, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens defea

The Bengals went 4-12 this season, but they did have wins over Baltimore, Cleveland and San Diego. Of their 12 losses, nine came by eight points or less.

They're still dreadful, but Cincinnati isn't at the same depths as Carolina or Denver, which have far more holes and way more issues to address.

Reason No. 4 He Retires: Compare Them in the Division

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PITTSBURGH - DECEMBER 12: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers laughs with Carson Palmer #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals following the game on December 12, 2010 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

Is Cincinnati really gaining ground within its division? It doesn't look like it to me.

Pittsburgh just reached the Super Bowl, and Baltimore once again were among the NFL's elite and reached the AFC divisional round in this year's playoffs.

Cleveland also has a good young nucleus in place with Colt McCoy and Peyton Hillis and solid leadership under Mike Holmgren.

It's hard to really put the Bengals ahead of any of those teams.

Reason No. 3 He Stays: New Life in the Offense

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PITTSBURGH - DECEMBER 12: Carson Palmer #9 hands the ball off to teammate Cedric Benson #32 of the Cincinnati Bengals during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 12, 2010 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wicker

The addition of Jay Gruden as Cincinnati's new offensive coordinator could bring some much-needed balance to the offense.

The Bengals averaged nearly 20 points per game and were 20th in total offense this year at just under 331 total yards. The bulk of that came via the passing game (235.4), which was 14th in the NFL.

Under Gruden, the Bengals plan to put more emphasis on the ground game, running between tackles and being more physical.

That should take some pressure off Palmer since the team won't be depending on him to do everything and rack up most of the yards.

Reason No. 3 He Retires: Stuck and Not Moving

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INDIANAPOLIS - NOVEMBER 14: Carson Palmer #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals throws a pass during the Bengals 23-17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL game at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 14, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Colts won 23-17. (Photo

I'm certainly not comparing their talent or ability, but something about Palmer's situation reminds me of the one Barry Sanders was in when he played with Detroit.

Sometimes you see the writing on the wall, and when you know you'll never have the right pieces around you to finally get over the hump, it's time to hang it up.

Reason No. 2 He Stays: Look At the Numbers

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - NOVEMBER 25: Quarterback Carson Palmer #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals is tackled for a safety by Trevor Pryce #93 of the New York Jets at New Meadowlands Stadium on November 25, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Jets defeated t

Palmer completed just under 62 percent of his passes this season—the most since 2007—and also threw for 3,970 yards.

His 26 touchdowns also tied him with the same amount from 2007, and his quarterback rating (82.4) hovered right around where it's normally been.

Most will point to his interceptions, which tied a career high this season, but from a production standpoint, Palmer's numbers certainly aren't taking a nosedive.

Reason No. 2 He Retires: In the Right Position

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CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 19: Quarterback Carson Palmer #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrates throwing a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns at Paul Brown Stadium on December 19, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel has quoted sources in one report that say Palmer is financially secure for the rest of his life and could walk away.

If that's the case, Palmer is one of the rare exceptions in the NFL. So many players haven't invested wisely or made good financial decisions and many end up bankrupt. 

If Palmer's that frustrated and has made good investments, then what's the point of continuing to play and get beaten up?

Reason No. 1 He Stays: Perfect Timing

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CINCINNATI - OCTOBER 31: Carson Palmer #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals gives instructions to his team during the NFL game against the Miami Dolphins at Paul Brown Stadium on October 31, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

If the owners wind up locking the players out, this could end up being a blessing for Palmer. He would have more time to get away from things, get refreshed and clear his mind.

He also wouldn't have to deal with some fans in Cincinnati who have crossed the line and become abusive towards him.

"You’ve got your real fans that will love and support you no matter what, but having stuff thrown in his yard and stuff like that, just stuff that is uncalled for," teammate Andrew Whitworth told the Cincinnati Enquirer.

"There is stuff like that I’m sure hurt him and put him in a place where he’s not just hurt but worried about his family and people coming to his house. You worry about all that for him but in the end I can feel his frustrations so I wasn’t exactly surprised but I was concerned."

Reason No. 1 He Retires: Still the Same at the Top

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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)

Cincinnati's choice to keep Marvin Lewis on as head coach fits almost perfectly with the definition of insanity.

You know the definition, right?

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

Imagine for a second if they had let Lewis go. Would they have suffered from going after top-notch assistants like Perry Fewell or Russ Grimm? What if they had decided to go after Jeff Fisher once he left Tennessee?

Conclusion

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CINCINNATI - OCTOBER 31: Carson Palmer #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals runs with the ball during the NFL game against the Miami Dolphins at Paul Brown Stadium on October 31, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Just like you and me, players can often say things in the heat of the moment and not follow through.

Palmer is still relatively young and still producing, but if the frustration has built to this level and he's made wise financial decisions, I think he will call it a career and retire.