NFL.com pegs Carson Palmer to the Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals have been one of several teams in need of an answer at quarterback during the offseason.

While some thought the Cardinals were done looking for a quarterback in free agency after the signing of Drew Stanton, NFL.com’s Marc Sessler thinks otherwise.

In a piece titled “Who’s next on the NFL quarterback carousel?”, the Cardinals are the likely landing spot for Oakland Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer.

The Oakland Raiders don’t plan to pay Palmer’s $13 million salary and the grizzled veteran is “highly unlikely” to take a pay cut. With a divorce looming, Palmer is a logical target for coach Bruce Arians in Arizona. The Cardinals are upbeat about Drew Stanton and Brian Hoyer, but Palmer is a present-day upgrade over both. Adding Palmer to the mix also allows the Cardinals to use their No. 7 pick on an offensive tackle. Palmer is a plodder who must be protected well — not a Cardinals specialty of late — but he’d give Arians a known quantity under center. Destination: Cardinals

If Palmer is released and the Cardinals make an offer, they would be pursuing a 33-year-old, two-time Pro Bowler who threw for 4,018 yards with 22 touchdowns, 14 interceptions and a 61.1% completion percentage last season. Based on statistics alone, Palmer would appear to be an upgrade at the quarterback position for Bruce Arians and the Cardinals in 2013.

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