Carson Palmer
QB FA
Tue 1/2/18 5:24 PM

Palmer announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday, the Cardinals' official site reports.
EDGE Analysis
One day removed from head coach Bruce Arians making the same announcement, Palmer will head into the sunset after 15 seasons with three different teams. After waiting one year to get his first shot with the Bengals in 2004, the previous year's No. 1 overall pick spent seven years with the organization as the starting quarterback. A dispute with ownership in 2011 eventually resulted in a trade to the Raiders, where he suited up the next two campaigns. To wrap up his career, Palmer landed in the Arizona desert in April of 2013 and spurred one of the most successful runs in the history of the Cardinals in that state, accumulating a 38-21-1 record as a starter. His injuries woes emerged at inopportune times, though, as he was only available for one of the team's two playoff runs. In 182 regular-season games played, Palmer averaged 254.1 yards per contest, completed 62.5 percent of his passes and accrued 294 touchdowns versus 187 interceptions for an 87.9 quarterback rating.

Carson Palmer
QB FA
Wed 12/6/17 1:38 PM

Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians said Monday that Palmer (arm) would enter the 2018 season as the team's starting quarterback if the veteran opts against retiring, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
Though Blaine Gabbert has performed adequately while starting the last three games and will likely finish out the season as the team's signal caller with the Cardinals not expected to activate Palmer from injured reserve, it doesn't sound like a quarterback controversy is in the works. Gabbert is slated for free agency this season and could be retained by the team, but Palmer's longer track record of success looks like it will work in his favor should he elect to keep his career going. With Palmer no longer requiring a cast for his broken left arm, the expectation is that he'll be back to full strength well in advance of the Cardinals' Organized Team Activities in the spring.

Carson Palmer
QB FA
Wed 11/22/17 4:35 PM

Head coach Bruce Arians said Wednesday that he doesn't think Palmer (arm) has progressed enough in his recovery to return this season, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
EDGE Analysis
Palmer only recently ditched the cast from his healing left arm, giving him six weeks to complete the final stages of his rehab. Because he suffered the fracture Week 7, he cannot be activated until Week 16, at the earliest, due to his residence on injured reserve. As long as Palmer remains out and Drew Stanton tends to a knee sprain, Blaine Gabbert will direct the Cardinals offense.

Carson Palmer
QB FA
Mon 11/20/17 6:19 PM1 Comment

Head coach Bruce Arians said Monday that Palmer has had the cast removed from his left arm, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
EDGE Analysis
Palmer was knocked from a Week 7 loss to the Rams in London and diagnosed with a broken left arm, which precipitated surgery and his placement on injured reserve within days. With his cast gone, he can begin rehabilitating the region, but there's no telling whether he has enough time to make another impact by season's end. Due to the timing of the injury, he could be activated as early as Week 16 against the Giants, but the Cards are currently on the outside looking in in the playoff picture. For the time being, Blaine Gabbert will start at quarterback while Drew Stanton recovers from a sprained knee.

Carson Palmer
QB FA
Fri 11/17/17 12:04 PM

Palmer (arm), who is under contract with the Cardinals through the 2018 season, indicated last week that he hasn't decided if he'll keep playing beyond the current campaign, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports. "I haven't even gotten there yet," Palmer said, regarding his future in the NFL. "I'll have a chance to think about what is next as far as 2018 and all that once we get through this year."
EDGE Analysis
Palmer's salary carries a $12.5 million cap hit next season and includes a $1.5 million roster bonus that will be guaranteed five days after the Super Bowl, so it's expected that the soon-to-be 38-year-old will inform the Cardinals of his intentions by that point. For now, Palmer said that he's focusing on rehabbing his broken left arm and returning from injured reserve this season, with the earliest date he could be activated coming in advance of the Cardinals' Week 16 game Dec. 24 against the Giants. It's still too early in the rehab process to determine if a 2017 return is feasible for Palmer, given that he has yet to have his cast removed following surgery.

Carson Palmer
QB FA
Thu 10/26/17 4:48 PM

The Cardinals placed Palmer (arm) on injured reserve Thursday, Kyle Odegard of the team's official site reports.
EDGE Analysis
In the aftermath of Sunday's loss to the Rams in London, head coach Bruce Arians relayed Palmer would likely need eight weeks to recover from a broken left arm. A second opinion was ordered up, though, revealing Palmer may be able to return within 4-to-6 weeks. The veteran signal caller has since undergone surgery, and the former was in fact the correct approximation, resulting in Palmer's placement on IR. While he focuses on rehab and a potential return as early as Week 16, the Cardinals will turn over the offense to Drew Stanton.

Carson Palmer
QB FA
Wed 10/25/17 9:49 AM

Palmer will undergo surgery Wednesday to repair his fractured left arm, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
EDGE Analysis
After Palmer suffered the injury in the Week 7 loss to the Rams, Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians said that the veteran quarterback would likely miss around eight weeks, but it doesn't sound as though that timetable is ironclad. Palmer received a second opinion on his injury Monday, according to Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site, and after listening to feedback from doctors, he believes he could return in as few as 4-to-6 weeks. If that's the case, the Cardinals could avoid placing Palmer on injured reserve, as such a transaction would keep the quarterback sidelined for at least eight weeks. While the Cardinals await Palmer's potential return later this season, Drew Stanton will get the first crack at running the team's offense Sunday in San Francisco.

Carson Palmer
QB FA
Mon 10/23/17 5:39 PM

Palmer, who is getting a second opinion on his fractured left arm, thinks he'll be able to return in 4-to-6 weeks, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
EDGE Analysis
Palmer's initial prognosis was at least eight weeks, so the quarterback may be overly optimistic in his ability to recover. While the upcoming evaluation may bring his timetable into focus, injured reserve remains a possibility in the mind of head coach Bruce Arians. If that comes to pass, Arians will "definitely" tab Palmer as one of the two players the Cardinals can designate for a return from IR. As long as Palmer is sidelined, Drew Stanton will hold down the fort at quarterback, with Blaine Gabbert handling backup duty.

Carson Palmer
QB FA
Sun 10/22/17 4:37 PM

Palmer broke his left arm Sunday against the Rams in London and miss at least eight weeks.
EDGE Analysis
Such a timetable extends through Week 15, which would leave two games available for Palmer to make another appearance this season. With Palmer slated for surgery and a lengthy recovery, Drew Stanton will run the offense moving forward, per head coach Bruce Arians.

Carson Palmer
QB FA
Sun 10/22/17 3:20 PM

The Cardinals have ruled out Palmer (arm) for the rest of Sunday's contest versus the Rams in London, Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic reports.
EDGE Analysis
Palmer has a propensity for serious injuries, missing 33 of a possible 215 games since logging his first NFL start in Week 1 of the 2004 season. The severity of the current issue hasn't been revealed, but he held up his left arm while leaving the field, an unnatural move if there ever was one. While the Cardinals will clarify the ailment in due time, Drew Stanton will serve as the starting quarterback for as long as Palmer is sidelined.