Cards’ Bidwill: Palmer has ‘got a lot of tread on his tire’

The Arizona Cardinals may have found the answer to their quarterback woes after finalizing a trade with the Oakland Raiders for veteran Carson Palmer Tuesday.

Arizona sent a 2013 sixth-round draft pick and a conditional 2014 seventh-round selection to Oakland in exchange for Palmer and the Raiders’ seventh-rounder this year.

The Redbirds have worked out a two-year, $16 million contract — $10 million of it guaranteed — with the 33-year-old who led the Raiders to an 8-16 record in 24 starts over two seasons.

Cardinals president Michael Bidwill thinks Palmer will fit in well in Arizona.

“He’s a great quarterback, a great leader, a great person,” he said. “It’s exciting to have a player like Carson who’s excited about coming to this organization and coming to the Valley.”

With the acquisition of quarterback Drew Stanton last month, some believed that the career backup would be the solution at the position for Arizona in 2013. However, a player that threw for 4,018 yards and 22 touchdowns with a mediocre team last year was too good for the Cardinals not to pursue.

Rumors about Palmer leaving Oakland surged after he objected to taking a pay cut.

“It was unanimous, a no-brainer,” Bidwill said. “When we learned that he would be available via trade and that we had a shot at getting him, we were aggressive; we went out there, put our best foot forward and made sure that we got the deal done.

“I don’t think I ever dreamed that we could have a quarterback the quality of Carson Palmer to come to the Cardinals as an opportunity that fell.”

The arrival of Palmer brings stability to the quarterback position that the team hasn’t had since Kurt Warner’s retirement in 2010. Even at his age, Bidwill believes Palmer has plenty left in his tank.

“He’s got a lot of tread on his tire and a lot of football left to play in his career,” Bidwill said.

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