NFL.com writer: Cardinals QB Carson Palmer a ‘stopgap’

It’s no secret that Carson Palmer isn’t the same player he was in 2005 and 2006 when he made back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances, but the Arizona Cardinals quarterback seems to be taking it on the chin this week from a couple of NFL writers.

Despite throwing for over 6,700 yards the past two seasons with the Oakland Raiders, most believe Palmer, 33, is in the twilight of his career. Be it because of his teams’ lack of on-field success (16-32 record since 2010) or his sometimes inaccurate right arm (50 interceptions since 2010), the Cardinals quarterback doesn’t appear to be winning over many fans, or for that matter many media members, outside of the Valley.

Earlier this week, CBSSports.com’s Will Brinson ranked Palmer as the 26th-best starting quarterback in the league, citing his arm strength and decision making as causes for concern.

Well, apparently Brinson isn’t alone.

Friday, NFL.com’s Marc Sessler also took a stab at ranking the league’s top 35 passers, and once again Palmer wasn’t high on the list.

Sessler broke down his QB rankings into 10 categories (Three kings, Franchise gold, The future Part I, The future Part II, Solid dudes, Critical seasons ahead, Trick or treat, Stopgaps, How can I trust you? and Just another guy), and the first-year Cardinal came in at No. 24 as a stopgap alongside Eagles quarterback Michael Vick.

Stopgaps

24. Carson Palmer

People talk about Palmer’s big numbers in Oakland, but the Raiders eternally played from 20 points down during his run. Carson’s not the future for the Cardinals — or any team.

By definition, Palmer is a short-term solution given that his restructured deal only runs through 2015, but after several “stopgaps” have come and gone since Kurt Warner’s retirement in Jan. 2010, for the Cardinals’ sake, let’s hope Sessler’s label doesn’t completely come to fruition with the former Heisman Trophy winner.