Carson Palmer: Bengals QB Better Peyton Manning Replacement Than Kerry Collins

The Indianapolis Colts were certainly thinking ahead when they picked up once-retired quarterback Kerry Collins to lead their offense in Peyton Manning's absence.

Manning's presumed backup Curtis Painter was not producing in a way that made them felt he could provide wins, and bringing in Collins, while not the ideal situation, was a clear improvement.

However, there is one quarterback who would prove a better option for the Colts than Collins, aside from the one named Manning: Carson Palmer.

Palmer, the disgruntled and estranged Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, has been in a stand-off with team owner Mike Brown over the remaining years of his contract. He has demanded his trade or release, threatening retirement if neither request is filled.

Rumors recently surfaced about Palmer potentially making an appearance at the Bengals' training facility, in hopes to force Brown's hand. Whether Palmer attempts this strategy is yet to be seen, but the Colts' quarterback situation one compelling reason for him to do so.

It would be a coup for Indy to grab Palmer to start in Manning's stead, it would be an amazing opportunity for Palmer to rebuild his reputation and it would allow the Bengals to move on with their new starter, Andy Dalton.

So many "ifs" have to fall into place, however, for this dream scenario to play out, and the odds are certainly against what is otherwise a no-brainer move for the Colts, Bengals and Palmer alike.

First, is whether Palmer can get the trade he's been looking for from Brown. An outright release is out of the question because it is extremely doubtful the Bengals would be willing to eat the remaining money on his contract.

If he does show up in the Bengals' locker room, one would think Brown would have to work on trading Palmer. There's no way he usurps the starting spot of Dalton's, nor that he would be paid $600,000 per game as a backup.

That would certainly pave the way for his acquisition by another team, the Colts included. But that payday could be a liability for Palmer trying to join a team that already has a highly-paid quarterback on the roster.

Manning would likely have to restructure his contract to make way for Palmer's payday. While this is not an impossibility, it is a major roadblock for Palmer-to-the-Colts.

One thing that could make the decision easier, however, is the issue of Manning's health. At this point, his neck is being re-evaluated. His recovery has slowed, and he is experiencing new pain. This does not bode well for Manning's availability to the Colts this season, or beyond.

If Manning requires another surgery, it will be his third procedure on his neck in 24 months. Any neck procedure is going to take years off of a player's career; multiple neck procedures can spell the end of a career, even one as storied as Manning's.

If Manning goes under the knife again, the odds that we have seen the last of him on the field increase, and so do the odds of the Colts being willing to pay for the remainder of Palmer's contract.

The Colts are going to need a better veteran presence on their roster than just that of Collins if they lose Manning, and will have to think to the future of their quarterback position. In terms of a stop-gap measure, Palmer would produce markedly better results under center than Collins.

So much of this remains up in the air, and the decision rests on more than just Manning, just Palmer and just Brown alone. But if Palmer can get the trade he so badly wants, he might just find himself in Indianapolis, a beneficiary of being in the right place at the right time.