Bengals holdout quarterback Carson Palmer is on the cusp of being traded to the Raiders in one of the most high-profile NFL trade deadline deals in recent history, according to a report by ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen.
The Raiders will reportedly trade two first-round picks for Palmer, who told the Cincinnati front office in January that he wanted to be traded or he would retire. With the impressive play of rookie quarterback Andy Dalton so far this season, the Bengals appear ready to let Palmer go.
For Oakland, the deal would provide a replacement for injured starting quarterback Jason Campbell, who suffered a broken collarbone in the first half of the Raiders’ win over the Browns on Sunday. In the best case scenario, Campbell will miss six weeks.
Palmer has connections to Raiders head coach Hue Jackson, as the two worked together when Jackson was the receivers coach for the Bengals from 2004-06. The former-USC quarterback has been working out in Southern California as he holds out for a trade.
The Raiders would receive a 2012 first round pick and a 2013 conditional first round pick in the reported deal. Both Oakland and Cincinatti are a surprising 4-2 so far this season, making this deal all the more unusual, as both teams could be competing for a wild cart spot come December.