Carson Palmer: Why Indianapolis Colts Need to Trade for Bengals QB

Carson Palmer is sitting at home, not helping any NFL team, certainly not the Cincinnati Bengals, for whom he clearly does not want to play.

He could help the Bengals, though, if club owner Mike Brown sees his way clear to trade the veteran, who didn’t report to camp and who is for all practical purposes retired until he gets his way and is moved out of town.

Brown has said in the past that he doesn’t want to reward Palmer for walking away from his $11.5 contract and his commitment to the Bengals, and while that’s a fair point, it’s not the only point.

The owner could reward the Bengals by putting together a deal with the Indianapolis Colts, who clearly are in the midst of huge quarterback angst with the possibility that Peyton Manning will be out for the entire season with his neck problems.

There is no better time to stock up the pantry than when trading a player you don’t need—Cincinnati management seems to be comfortable going with rookie QB Andy Dalton—to a team that has a desperate need. And be it players or draft picks, a two-time Pro Bowl quarterback like Palmer would fetch a tidy sum.

The Colts have turned to Kerry Collins in the wake of Manning’s injury issues, and if the season-opener against the Houston Texans is any indication—unable to score until facing a 34-0 deficit—there is a huge need in Indianapolis for someone like Palmer.

It would be a win-win deal. It’s amazing how often those are the deals that never get done, though.