NFL.com pegs Carson Palmer to the Cardinals
Mar 27, 2013, 7:42 PM | Updated: 9:12 pm
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.
