Carson Palmer: Why No One Should Inquire About Bengals QB at NFL Trade Deadline

The Cincinnati Bengals have had an abundance of controversy surround the franchise for a number of years, so why should 2011 be different?

The saga of “retired” quarterback Carson Palmer continues to distract the Bengals, who have been at war with the former USC player for the past several months.

Palmer has been the subject of frustration for the Bengals, and after another disappointing season in 2010, where they finished 4-12, the former Heisman winner firmly requested to be traded.

He would find out shortly that his request would not be played out so smoothly.

Bengals president Mike Brown stood strongly against the notion of trading Carson Palmer, who “gave the Bengals his commitment…gave his word.” What has transpired since Palmer’s trade requests falls nothing short of made-for-television drama.

It is easy to understand the quarterback’s frustration, considering all the troubles the Bengals have had over the last couple seasons. Legal issues, poor play and injuries have marred a franchise that used to contend in the AFC North.

At the same time, it is just as hard to side with a man who goes back on his word.

Brown is has absolutely every right to hold his quarterback to higher standards. Palmer recently signed a contract extension and if the president wants his players to see out their contracts in full, then he has every right to be upset with Palmer’s petulance.

And with the trade deadline right around the corner, expect the Palmer versus Bengals narrative to pick up steam.

But will any NFL teams inquire about the services of the two-time Pro Bowler? To be honest, I don’t think so, and it is for good reason.

History of Injuries

One reason teams should not reach out to Palmer is pretty substantial; Palmer is yet to recover fully from his career-threatening knee injury from the 2005 season.

The quarterback suffered significant damage to a majority of his knee against the Pittsburgh Steelers during that game, and he has gone through long and painful rehabilitations to get back on the field.

And while he has shown glimpses of his former self, his performances post-injury are nothing to be impressed with.

Sans a 2009 trip to the Pro Bowl, Palmer has failed to regain his swagger and rightfully lead his team. In fact, the organization went ahead and selected Andy Dalton out of TCU in the 2011 draft to further cement Palmer’s decline.

His knee injury may have been his most threatening injury, but most definitely wasn’t his last. In 2008 he suffered ligament and tendon damage in his elbow, sidelining him for the rest of that season.

I understand injuries are a part of sports, but with the history Carson Palmer has in the treatment room many NFL teams will likely pass on him in favor of someone less fragile.

Attitude Problems

Considering how well-spoken and genuine a guy Carson Palmer seems, attitude and commitment are two massive qualities needed by an elite NFL quarterback.

The Carson Palmer of late lacks both of those.

To put it lightly, the drama between Palmer and the Bengals has been messy. He is unwilling to back down from his personal demands and refuses to play in Paul Brown Stadium for the Bengals.

This could prove alarming to many of the owners across the league, and eventually will turn off potential suitors.

A team’s quarterback is the ringleader of the squad, the guy every single player looks to in times of desperation. Palmer is an arrogant man who wants to leave a bad situation regardless of what his contract says.

If every player turned their back on their word because of a couple bad seasons, then there would be nobody playing for a lot of the teams across the NFL.

Palmer went to the press to vent his dissatisfaction in Brown’s decision to stay stubborn, a move that is truly classless by anyone’s standards. Instead of trying to lead young and impressionable players like A.J. Green and Andy Dalton, he backed off his duties and didn’t even turn up to camp.

The Bengals were forced to put their quarterback on the reserve/did not report list as a result, placing monumental pressure on the rookie Dalton.

Dalton has the team looking sprightly and his cohesion with fellow rookie Green seems promising. This further indicates the fact that coach Marvin Lewis and the rest of the organization feels confident moving forward, regardless of the Palmer situation.

Are teams willing to bring in a gigantic ego in Palmer, who poses more of a risk at this point in his career? My bet is that teams will not and should not invest in the quarterback.

Unproven

At one point in his career, Palmer was among the best in the league at his position. He was able to utilize his skills and size to pick apart the opposition on a consistent basis.

But again, that was at “one point.” Those days are long gone.

Palmer is known more for his irregularity and bad decision-making nowadays, qualities not exactly flattering for a quarterback. And since he hasn’t suited up at all this season, he has no reps and is far from ready to take the field and lead a team on Sundays.

During his tenure with the Bengals, he has certainly breathed some life into the troubled franchise. He took the reigns for seven years and turned in some decent performances.

Yet when he was able to string together some quality games, the good times did not last long.

In the seven seasons he was with the Bengals, he only led them to the playoffs twice and in both instances he was unable to produce a win. This is not exactly the record another team is looking to bring on board.

Since Palmer is unproved during critical aspects of an NFL season, his recruitment to another team seems pointless. A team thirsting for a quality quarterback needs to have a solid résumé to fall back on, and in Palmer’s case, he does not.

It would be unwise to bring in a player like Palmer because he lacks the playoff and crunch time experience of an Aaron Rodgers, of a Tom Brady or a Ben Roethlisberger. Teams are looking for someone to lead their team from the get go, something Palmer can not provide.

The only team Palmer will be playing for after the trade deadline will be the Cincinnati Bengals. And we all know his feelings about that…