ESPN’s Wingo: Palmer, Arians and Keim make Cardinals a contender

ESPN NFL Live host Trey Wingo personally does not feel like Carson Palmer needs to win a playoff game to validate his career.

“I know a lot of people do, but to me, Carson Palmer is going to be what Carson Palmer is,” he told Off the Edge with B-Train Friday on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. “Whether he goes and wins a Super Bowl or they lose this weekend, I don’t think it changes in my mind any way what I think of Carson Palmer.

“Other people think differently and I understand that and that’s their perspective, I just don’t see it that way.”

Palmer himself said he does not really think about what a win Saturday against the Green Bay Packers would do for his legacy or standing in NFL circles. His only concern is getting the Cardinals to the NFC Championship Game and, from there, hopefully the Super Bowl.

However, that Palmer is the only one of the eight starting quarterbacks left in the playoffs without a postseason win is a somewhat startling fact, albeit one that is a tad misleading because he has only appeared in two postseason games.

But in a season where he threw for 4,671 yards and 35 touchdowns — both of which were personal and franchise records — and was viewed as a league MVP candidate, coming up short Saturday would do plenty to erase much of what he has already accomplished over the course of his NFL career, which began as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft.

Fair or not, that’s how it works in a lot of peoples’ eyes, and it’s fair to wonder how many more chances like this the 36-year-old passer will have.

Maybe Palmer will continue to play at a high level for another few seasons, maybe he won’t. There’s little doubt though that the team’s championship window is open as long as he is under center and effective.

“As long as Carson plays well and is there I think that’s always going to be the case,” Wingo said of the team being at this level. “If they can find the next guy that’s going to replace Carson, I think that will be the case.”

Anyone who watched the Cardinals in the post-Kurt Warner, pre-Palmer years understands just how important it is to have a quality quarterback. At the same time, it’s also not a bad idea to have a talented roster around the quarterback.

While Arizona has certainly undergone a makeover since head coach Bruce Arians and GM Steve Keim took over in January 2013, much of the talent that is leading the team now was already in place. The rest of the roster has been upgraded and supplemented to the point where, with a top quarterback, the team can contend.

Wingo gave plenty of credit to the coaching staff, which was assembled by Arians, as well as the job Keim has done in constructing the roster. Because of that leadership, he’s confident the team will be fine when Palmer ultimately calls it quits.

“The things that he’s been able to do in the draft the last couple of years has been fantastic,” he said, pointing to Deone Bucannon and Tyrann Mathieu as great picks. “Look at the players that he’s not only drafted, but the players that he’s brought in.

“CJ2K, Chris Johnson, obviously not there, big contribution to this team; the rookie running back out of Northern Iowa, David Johnson, they got him too. These are players that Steve Keim has found a way to bring in — not only first-round talent, but all kinds of ways to bring in talent. I think he’ll find a way to get the quarterback situation done whenever it is time for Carson Palmer to step down.”

Certainly Arizona fans are hoping that is a conversation for seasons down the road, but the way Wingo sees it, it’s one they need not fear.

“If you’re looking at real reasons to be optimistic about the Cardinals organization, it’s the structure of the front office and the coaching staff that has been put in place more than anything else.”

 

 

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