NFL Trade Deadline: Carson Palmer Is Now a Raider

Disgruntled "retired" quarterback Carson Palmer will no longer be tailgating at USC games.

Palmer, who refused to play another season with the Cincinnati Bengals, had chosen to "retire" when the organization didn't trade him as requested before the season started.

In a surprising decision, Cincinnati owner Mike Brown looks to have softened his stance on not trading or letting go of Palmer. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, a deal sending the quarterback to Oakland is done. In return, the Bengals will receive a 2012 first-round pick and a conditional pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

The Raiders needed a quarterback after Jason Campbell went down with a collarbone injury that will sideline him for the rest of the season. Palmer, a former No. 1 pick, will make the team a very scary opponent.

The Oakland Raiders are 4-2 and were a formidable matchup even with Campbell at quarterback. Now, imagine them with Carson Palmer back there.

The Raiders offense will be even more of a headache. They have a tough ground-and-pound running game with Darren McFadden and Michael Bush. The passing game will open up with Palmer, who is a better quarterback than Campbell, throwing to Darrius Heyward-Bey and the speedy Denarius Moore.

The revamped offense, coupled with the Raiders stingy defense, will help this team make some noise in the AFC West and in the playoffs.

Is Palmer the future of the Raiders? No. Palmer will be 32 years old this year, but he will be a great edition to the team this season and will still be effective for the Raiders once he learns the playbook and gets back into football shape.