It appears that Carson Palmer will get the start for the Oakland Raiders less than a week after the trade was completed, bringing him to town from Bengals, and his “retirement.”
While the Raiders haven’t officially said who will be their starting quarterback on Sunday, Raiders offensive coordinator Al Saunders told KCSP-AM on Wednesday that the eight-year veteran would be on the field “as long as he’s breathing.”
“He walked out on the field yesterday and everybody kind of looked at everybody and said, ‘You know what? This is a real quarterback.’ I mean, that was the comment made by a couple people as they just watched him throw,” Saunders said. “And, you know, it just depends on how quickly he feels comfortable in what we’re doing and that shouldn’t take too long.”
Head coach Hue Jackson called their recent acquisition “probably the greatest trade in football.”
Jackson helped to recruit and coach Palmer at USC, and served as an assistant at Cincinnati from 2004-2006.
The cost for the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback, and former number one overall draft pack, was very high. The Raiders parted with two very high draft picks – a first round pick in 2012 and a conditional second round pick in 2013 that can move up to become a first round pick if the Raiders make it to the AFC Championship game either this year or next year.
“It’s been a whirlwind,” Palmer said. “I understand what’s expected of me. I know what playing quarterback is about, and it’s about winning. I want to come in a contribute and do whatever I can to help this team.”
Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell broke his collarbone in the second quarter of Sunday’s game against the Browns. The injury, according to reports, is expected to cost him the rest of the season.
