ESPN NFL Insider: Carson Palmer gives the Cardinals a chance to be competitive
Apr 3, 2013, 5:01 PM
When the Arizona Cardinals made the decision to trade for quarterback Carson Palmer, they did so with the hope that the veteran signal caller could revamp an offense that has struggled to find its identity.
According to ESPN NFL Insider John Clayton, the addition of Palmer could solve the Cardinals’ quarterback woes — at least, in the interim.
“It’s a good day if you’re an Arizona Cardinal fan,” Clayton told Arizona Sports 620’s Doug & Wolf Tuesday. “If you are patient, good things fall to you and I think a good thing fell to them. So we can debate whether Carson, at this stage, is a winning quarterback, but I don’t think you can debate what he can do to this offense.”
Palmer brings impressive credentials to the desert, including a 2012 campaign that saw him throw for 4,018 yards and 22 touchdowns in 15 games.
Clayton thinks Palmer will be an ideal fit in new head coach Bruce Arians’ offensive scheme.
“He brings in the ability to throw for 4,000 yards with a coach that loves to throw for 4,000 yards,” Clayton explained. “He’s big quarterback built in the same kind of mold as a Ben Roethlisberger, no he doesn’t roll out as much anymore because of the knee injury and age catching up to him.”
Still, Clayton thinks Palmer will be a definite upgrade for the Cardinals, if he can hold onto the football. Palmer threw 14 picks a season ago.
“He’s the type of quarterback that works well with Bruce Arians and if you can add an offense that’s going to have 4,000 yards and he can cut down on the interceptions that means that this team is much, much closer to .500 than it was before this week,” Clayton said.
Palmer, who is entering his 10th season in the NFL, boasts a career 54-67 record. Arizona will be the third destination in his career, and the Cardinals’ new starting quarterback is set to prove he still has a lot left in the tank.
Clayton thinks if Palmer can produce up to his talent level, the Cardinals will be much improved from the group that won just five games in 2012.
“In a division that has to take on so many tough quarterbacks, I really think that this offers them a chance to be competitive in every game,” Clayton said.
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