New and former teammates react to Palmer trade
Published: October 18th, 2011 | Tags: Carson Palmer, Andre Caldwell, Cincinatti Bengals, Hue Jackson, Kamerion Wimbley, Kevin Boss, Marcel Reece, Oakland Raiders
An era came to an end Tuesday, and a new one began, as Carson Palmer, who spent the first eight years of his career with the Bengals, was traded to the Raiders in exchange for a 2012 first-round pick and conditional 2013 second-rounder.
Reaction varied around the league, and here’s what some of the players affected by this move had to say when they appeared on NFL Network:
Raiders OLB Kamerion Wimbley, on what coach Hue Jackson is building in Oakland:
“They’ve been putting together all of the pieces that we need to contend for a Super Bowl. That’s our goal — to come here and win. And I think we’re serious about that. Adding Carson to the arsenal, I think, definitely helps to show that we’re serious about trying to get to the Super Bowl.”
Bengals WR Andre Caldwell, on resentment about Palmer’s anti-Cincinnati stance:
“Yeah, there was a little resentment at first. We all felt that he bailed out on us. He was a leader in our locker room, and we felt he just didn’t want to be with us. We took it kind of personal, but we have a great guy in Andy Dalton that’s leading us and we put that in our past.”
Raiders TE Kevin Boss, on how long it will take Palmer to know the offense:
“It’ll take a little bit of time, but I think with the weapons we have offensively — running backs, receivers — I’m hoping that we don’t really skip a beat. Like I said, Carson has been doing this for awhile, a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback, so we’re just excited to have him.”
Raiders FB Marcel Reece, on how quickly he thinks Carson Palmer can step in and play:
“When you think about a guy like Carson, you look at his relationship with Coach Jackson and the systems he’s been in. Carson is a veteran guy. He’s a very, very intelligent quarterback. And I think coming from a player, as well, I expect him to be on the field as soon as possible. You know he’s been working out. He looked great, and he can always step on the field and sling that thing. We’re excited for him to get out on the field, and we’re pretty sure he’s going to step on and make an impact right away.” (Full video)