Carson Palmer Traded to Oakland Raiders: The Bengals Finally Got One Right

The Cincinnati Bengals have a history of making stupid moves.  They have drafted more guys in the top 10 who have ended up being busts than just about any other team in the NFL.  It seems like every year they have a guy demanding a trade because he just cannot stand to play for that team anymore.

Just this offseason they unloaded Chad Ochocinco to the Patriots for a fifth-round pick in 2012 and a sixth-round pick in 2013.  That deal was pretty good at the time, but there was a rumor that a couple of years earlier the Washington Redskins had offered them two first-round picks for Ochocinco.

But for all of the times that the Bengals messed up, they could not have played the Carson Palmer situation any better.  Mike Brown drew his line in the sand.  He made Palmer walk away from a huge contract instead of automatically giving in to Palmer's demand and taking a trade that would not be as beneficial for the team.

Brown must have been dancing in his office when he got an offer from the Oakland Raiders that could end up sending two first-round picks to his way.  Worst-case scenario he gets an extra first-round pick in 2012 and an extra second-round pick in 2013.  Best-case scenario is a first-round pick in both drafts.

So the Bengals end up getting two high draft picks for a guy who was not going to play for them this year anyway.

The Bengals decided in the offseason just to go ahead and move forward.  They drafted Andy Dalton in the second round of last year's draft.  He has played well so far.  They also drafted A.J. Green, who is developing quite a chemistry with Dalton.

So while the Bengals and Mike Brown have been ridiculed for years about their personnel decisions, they hit a home run with this one and might have set themselves up for an impressive run.