Reflecting on the Carson Palmer Trade

Lets review the Carson Palmer trade. The Raiders traded there 2012 1st round and 2013 second round pick to acquire Palmer good or bad idea? First off hindsight is 20/20 and there is no telling what can happen next season. But as of now I think its safe to say the Raiders messed up ....again, and the Bengals are snickering as they enter the playoffs.

We all know why the Bengals can say they won this trade, Palmer was never going to play for them again so getting draft picks in a trade automatically made it a awesome deal for the Bengals. Second the play of Andy Dalton was excellent for a 2nd round draft pick rookie and far better then what anyone expected from him this season.

Now the Raiders side of the trade they were 4-2 at the time off the trade, leading the division and there starter Jason Campbell had just broke his collar bone. Hue Jackson was familiar with Palmer from his time coaching in Cincinnati and felt the Raiders were competing at a high level and were on there way to a deep playoff run and made the trade. When I heard about the trade I was thinking ok the Raiders gave up a 4th or 5th round pick, but wait... what a 1st and 2nd round picks!!! I cringed a inside when hearing that. I mean Palmer sat out training camp and the first 6 weeks, had finished 2010 with 20 interceptions, and had off season surgery and was 31, a little expensive I think. For instance Jason Campbell's broken collarbone was a 4-6 week injury with the Raiders bye week he could have played after only sitting out as little as 3-4 games. I feel that Hue was too eager to go after a player he liked from a past team and ultimately wagered the Raiders future.

For instance the Raiders probably would be in a similar situation now if they hadn't traded for Palmer but they would still have those picks. Furthermore if they were unhappy with Campbell they could go after a prospect such as Matt Flynn in free agency and boost another team need with the mid first round pick they would have, or draft a QB. Heck the Colts may cut Manning this off season and the Raiders could have sought after him in free agency. Plus lets not forget the Raiders do have prospect Terrelle Pryor on the roster.  But now without a first round pick and having traded for Palmer I think the Raiders are stuck with Palmer at least a few years, but hey maybe he will be the next Drew Bree's and it will have been a great move for the Raiders.