A day later, Carson Palmer appears to have chance to play against 49ers

TEMPE, Ariz. — When speaking Sunday about Carson Palmer’s status for his team’s Thursday night matchup with the San Francisco 49ers, Cardinals coach Bruce Arians made it clear the veteran was unlikely to be ready to go.

Palmer suffered a concussion in the fourth quarter of the team’s 17-13 loss to the Rams, and at that point was entered into the league’s protocol for such injuries.

“Probably not, probably not,” Arians said then when asked if Palmer could play against the 49ers if he is healthy by Thursday evening. “We’ll be very, very careful with this injury. It’s not like a sore wrist or a sore shoulder.”

That made sense — concussions are a very tricky and delicate thing to deal with. Some dissipate quickly, whereas some are difficult to shake.

But on Monday, after his team finished a walk-through to begin their week, the coach had a decidedly different and more optimistic tone with regards to Palmer, who is still in the protocol.

“He got better last night and improved,” Arians said. “I talked to him last night and his wife, and like I’ve said, it’s all up to the doctors.”

Palmer’s backup, Drew Stanton, also got a sense that the QB is doing better.

“I did,” he said. “I think that Carson is a true professional. He is one of those guys that is going to do everything in his power to get ready to play whenever the next time comes.”

To prepare for Palmer’s potential absence, the Cardinals reportedly have signed quarterback Zac Dysert off the practice squad to add depth behind Stanton.

At 1-3, the sooner Palmer gets back on the field, the better. But it’s not up to him or the team.

The concussion protocol states that when a potential concussion is identified the player should be immediately removed from the field, which Palmer was. From there, the team’s physician as well as an unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant will review video of the play and perform a focused neurological exam. If at that point there is suspicion of a concussion, the player will be taken to the locker room for a full assessment, and at that point it’s a matter of no longer displaying symptoms from the injury — while participating in some physical activity — before being allowed to return.

From there, it’s all a matter of the player no longer displaying or suffering from any effects, at which point they will be cleared to return to practice and then, as long as that goes well, game action.

Palmer has a ways to go before that can be a possibility, but at the same time, Arians said he would not be surprised if his starter was in fact able to play.

“Nothing surprises me with these guys getting healthy, anymore,” he said.

Arians went on to say Palmer was going to do the physical activity part of the process on Monday, and because of that if things go well, the chance for him to play is there.

The coach said Palmer sounded good when he spoke with him Sunday night, adding that he spoke mostly to Palmer’s wife. But, his QB did have something to say.

“He said ‘I’m OK, don’t worry about it,'” Arians said. “And that’s about it.”

In four games this season, Palmer has completed 90-of-153 passes for 1,150 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions. His numbers are not what they were last season, when he was in the conversation for league MVP, but with the Cardinals at 1-3, having him on the field Thursday would be ideal.

If Palmer is unable to go, Stanton will get the nod for his first start since the 2014 season, when he also played in relief of an injured Palmer. Arians and the players have expressed nothing but confidence in him, with the coach saying Monday that the game plan would not change one bit if Palmer isn’t available.

“They’re so similar and we don’t have to change anything when he’s in there,” he said.

And even if Palmer does not get on the practice field Tuesday or Wednesday, Arians now says that would not necessarily prevent him from suiting up on Thursday.

“No, he doesn’t (have to practice),” he said. “He doesn’t practice on Wednesdays anyway. It’s not like they’re doing something he hasn’t seen before. He’d be more than ready to go.”

When the clock reached zero on Sunday’s loss, the idea that Stanton would be starting seemed all but certain. But less than a day later there is a chance Palmer could be ready, which Arians said is encouraging.

“Yeah,” he said. “From what I thought yesterday, I thought there was no chance.”

Follow Adam Green on Twitter

Follow @theAdamGreen