The news broke Sunday that QB Carson Palmer went to the Cincinnati Bengals front office and asked for a trade from the franchise. Several media sources have stated that Palmer made such a statement, and also, he was prepared to retire if the Bengals did not grant him his wish. The 31 year old franchise QB finds himself in a state of flux with the Bengals, a team one season removed from a 10-6 season and a AFC North Championship. That same team plummeted to last in the AFC North in 2010, finishing 4-12 even though they held almost all the same roster from the previous season (outside the addition of Terrell Owens).
On the greater whole though, the Bengals haven't impressed much since 2005 when they made the playoffs under Head Coach Marvin Lewis and then were ousted in the first round by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Some would say that a leg injury Palmer suffered in that playoff game has led him to never meeting his full potential, as he spent the next 8 months rehabbing, and truly hasn't ever been the QB he seemed destined to be before the injury. The Bengals didn't make another playoffs under Lewis until '09, finishing 19-28-1 in the 3 seasons in between playoff appearances. In hindsight, that '09 season seems like fools gold, the product of a defense that overachieved and a ground game that became underutilized in 2010. Yet, when Marvin Lewis's contract expired at the end of the season Bengals' GM Mike Brown decided to keep him on, never mind the 60-67-1 overall record, the lack of a playoff win, and the countless number of disorderly and unruly players that have passed through his regime over its 8 seasons in existence.
But I suppose that much is fine. The Bengals must be assured that the status quo will help them prevail, 2010 was simply a bad year and the magic the Bengals brought to life in 2009 is the true capability of the team, despite all the warning flags. If that were the case though, why is practically every star offensive player the Bengals have outside of Palmer a free agent, and not just a free agent, but a free agent that don't have much interest in bringing back? Star wide outs Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens, who were 1st and 2nd on the team in receiving yards this past season fit this bill. Star running back Cedric Benson, the teams top ball carrier does as well. In a way, it seems like the Bengals are cleaning house, but if they are, they sure aren't putting their full hearts into it. I mean, why bother bring back Lewis? Do you really trust in him that much? Was your first rebuild process with Palmer & Lewis that successful? You got 2 first round exits in 8 years. It just doesn't make sense, at least from an offensive standpoint.
And no wonder Palmer wants out. They're taking all the big weapons away from him, and leaving him with Jordan Shipley and Jermaine Gresham, 2 really nice young receivers, but they can't carry an offense, they're 2nd year players in the battle tested AFC North. Who's going to play running back? Palmer flourished in '09 when the Bengals focused on the run.
Wouldn't it make a lot more sense for both Palmer and the Bengals' brass to just go their separate ways? The Bengals are going young anyway, Palmer's 31 years old, by the time you're ready to compete he's going to really be on the back end of his career, and with is leg problems who knows how long he is willing to play? And playing on a young, inexperienced, mediocre offense is just going to drive him away faster. The Bengals should trade Palmer and really step into this whole youth movement thing, granted, they aren't sending the right message by bringing back the same old coach either. The only thing I can think of is that maybe they draft a QB (a terrible decision this year by the way, there's no really lockdown guys since Luck isn't coming out), and they want Palmer to play and mentor, but why keep Lewis? I just don't know what to make of it. I get Palmer's side though, he's still a more than capable QB on a talented team (Arizona anyone? maybe even Oakland?) and he'd like to play on a legitimate winner before he becomes any lesser. Sticking around on a weak team, teaching a kid how to play after all he's done for that organization just seems a little sour to me. But I guess it just makes too much sense for the Bengals to want to go that direction.
What's the baseline?
If I were Carson Palmer, I'd want out too. The Bengals are mismanaging their offensive situation. Either stick with your veterans and compete now, or give in and start fresh, but if you're going to do that, why keep your old franchise QB around and a head coach that didn't advance you past the 1st round of the playoffs in 8 seasons? The Bengals get a "C'Mon Man!".
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