Quarterback Carson Palmer was traded to the Arizona Cardinals this week after spending the past two seasons in Oakland with the Raiders. This offseason he played hardball and didn’t want to restructure his contract, he simply wanted out, but can you really blame him? Palmer isn't getting any younger, as the 33-year-old wants to play for a team that isn't in severe rebuilding mode like the Raiders are.
The Raiders were due to pay Palmer $13 million this season which they just don’t have. Knowing this, Palmer didn’t want to restructure which was his way of saying he was done in Oakland. So, he was traded to Arizona and the Raiders received little in return; they got a sixth-round pick in this years draft and a conditional seventh-round pick in 2014, while also yielding their seventh rounder in 2013. The Cardinals, however got a good veteran quarterback, who is capable of winning and has a chip on his shoulder to prove he isn’t done quite yet.
In his press conference, head coach Bruce Arians announced Palmer as the starting quarterback in an effort to avoid any quarterback controversies or drama. The veteran quarterback had been on Arizona’s radar since before the 2011 season when Palmer announced he wanted to be traded. At that time they thought he would be a good fit.
The Cardinals aren't the best team in the league, nor do they necessarily have a competitive team. They play within the NFC West, which has proven to be a difficult division as they go head to head with the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks, both of which are expected to be playoff-caliber teams atop the division. So, how and why does Palmer improve the Cardinals?
For one, he’s a veteran quarterback with playoff experience with the Cincinnati Bengals. Last season with the Raiders Palmer started 15 games before going down with a cracked and bruised rib. In those 15 starts, Palmer threw for 4, 018 yards with 22 touchdowns and 14 interceptions finishing the season with an 85.3 quarterback rating.
Last season in Oakland, Palmer’s offensive coordinator was Greg Knapp who, ran a short-pass offense which isn't necessarily Palmer’s strong suit. In Arizona, their offensive mindset calls for the quarterback to throw the ball down field, something Palmer is more than capable of doing despite the popular belief that his arm isn’t what it used to be. In Oakland, the run game was a big part of their offense, in Arizona with guys like Larry Fitzgerald, Palmer will have a reliable receiver downfield so he can air the ball. Fitzgerald’s been wanting a good quarterback and now his team has one.
Obviously, the interceptions are a concern, especially if he’s going to be throwing downfield more often, but with a number one, reliable receiver, the interception rate should decrease for Palmer this season.
With the addition of Palmer, the Cardinals now have a chance to be competitive every week. Palmer is a quarterback who has ten years of professional football under his belt as he enters his 11th season. Palmer’s best fit is with an offense like that of coach Arians where he can show off his arm and have an outstanding receiver to throw to.