Carson Palmer vs. Cincinnati Bengals: Whose Side Should NFL Fans Take?

Carson Palmer and the Cincinnati Bengals need to figure out what they plan on doing to get past the impasse the two parties currently stand at.

The team drafted Palmer with the first overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft. They counted on the Heisman Trophy-winning Palmer to lead the embattled franchise out of their darkest days.

His sophomore season, Palmer started 13 games and the team had an 8-8 record, respectable for a guy who didn’t take a meaningful snap his rookie year. He exploded over the next few years and even carried his team to the playoffs in 2005—their first trip since 1990.

Palmer was never the same after suffering a major knee injury in 2008, but he did lead his team to one more playoff appearance in ’09 after his return.

It is clear that the relationship between Palmer and the Bengals is done. The team needs to let him seek a trade and accept that a possibly washed up 31-year-old quarterback wants to play for a team that might actually win a playoff game at some point in his career.

By letting Palmer retire, the Bengals are receiving no compensation via draft picks or young, productive players for losing his services. Fans should be furious at Mike Brown for being so selfish and refusing to work around bumps in the road to make his team competitive.

The Bengals blew up their roster this offseason, letting the most underrated corner in football, Johnathan Joseph, sign with the Texans and losing veteran receivers Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco, along with a number of other players.

Since the team is obviously going into a full rebuilding mode, it would be stupid not to trade Palmer for youth and picks. There are interested parties, and to let such a valuable trade chip retire because he does not want to play for the worst team in football is just Brown being too much of a tough guy to give some ground.

Cincy fans should be livid that this situation is taking place and further harming their franchise.  Brown is a stubborn idiot that needs to go. 

-Alex Kay

Follow @AlexPKay