Tue, Oct 18, 2011 at 12:00pm

PALMER HEADS BACK TO CALI

The Oakland Raiders acquired quarterback Carson Palmer from the Cincinnati Bengals for a 2012 first-round pick and a conditional 2013 first-round pick.

What does it give the Las Vegas Raiders
This is a strong short-term move by the 4-2 Raiders, although one that may eventually haunt them. Palmer is an elite talent under center, and as a former USC star he'll be a popular player for the Raiders right away (at least, once he gets up to speed with their offense). He should keep Oakland contending for the playoffs. That said, he simply hasn't played like an elite talent since 2006, he'll be expensive (even with a restructured deal), and now Oakland needs to figure out what to do with the injured Jason Campbell. The bigger price, however, is the pair of 1st-rounders (with the 2013 pick dropping to a 2nd-rounder if Oakland misses the playoffs). Expect solid numbers the rest of this season for Palmer, but not great ones.

What does it give the Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have to be thrilled with this deal. Palmer simply hasn't been one of the NFL's top quarterbacks for several years now, and with rookie Andy Dalton playing well so far Cincy gets a steal in the draft pick package. Whether the 2013 pick is a 1st- or 2nd-rounder, both selections should provide starters for the Bengals. Meanwhile, the team gets to move on without having to pay Palmer's huge salary, and without his holdout clouding their chemistry.

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