Oakland Raiders head coach Hue Jackson’s mantra for 2011 is “The time is now!” Jackson is really making believers out of Raider Nation now as he has an agreement in place to bring�Carson Palmer to the Raiders.
The Raiders are reportedly giving up a 2012 first-round pick and possibly�a 2013 first-round pick for Palmer. The move is worth the picks 10 times over as the Raiders are loaded�with young talent already.
I didn’t see this one coming as Cincinnati Bengals owner Paul Brown usually doesn’t give in to trade demands. But I guess a first-round pick, maybe two, is too much�to refuse for a guy that would rather retire than�play for you.
Turn the page to see�how the move signifies “the time is now.”
Resume
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Palmer is a two-time Pro Bowl quarterback that’s been to the playoffs twice�winning the tough AFC North in 2009. He has�11 fourth-quarter comebacks and 17 game-winning drives�showing he can bring a team back.
Individually, Palmer has thrown for over 4,000 yards twice and�over 20 touchdowns in five of his seven years in the NFL. His career�touchdown-to-interception ratio is 152-100 and his career quarterback rating is 87.
Last year, with his heart not in it,�Palmer threw for 3,970 yards and 26 touchdowns. He is a second-tier elite quarterback and Raider Nation will get�to see what he can do with his heart in it.��
With the weapons he will have, Palmer could move into the first tier.
Leadership
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Jason Campbell did a good job as a leader but�Palmer’s resume gives him more credibility as a leader. His career numbers speak for themselves but let’s remember that he did so in the AFC North.
One-fourth of his 16 games were played against the Steelers and Ravens defenses each season. This will give him instant credibility in the Raiders offensive huddle�similar to what Seymour has in the defensive huddle.
This young Raiders team will rally around him�believing in him.
Skill Set
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Palmer’s skill set is a match made in heaven for the Raiders.
We all�know that the Raiders love big-armed quarterbacks�and�Palmer has a huge arm. But it’s really no use to have a quarterback with a big arm if he throws a deep ball that can’t be caught by his receivers.
Palmer does he have a huge arm�and he throws a beautiful, accurate�deep ball. This is�a major�upgrade for the Raiders as Campbell has struggled with the deep ball throughout his career.�
That doesn’t bode well for�opposing defenses trying to stop�the Raiders offense�full of track stars at receiver.
The bomb is back in Oakland and Palmer is the next “Mad Bomber.”
With Shane Lechler wearing No. 9, Palmer will probably wear No. 3�his number in college.
Familiarity
Jackson and Palmer go way back like babies and pacifiers!
Jackson has known Palmer since high school and was his offensive coordinator when Palmer was at USC. The two were also together for four years in�Cincinnati so there is�more than enough�familiarity between the two.
With Palmer having�been in Jackson’s system before, he will know all the verbiage and the Raiders offense shouldn’t miss a beat.�Palmer may know this offense better than Campbell does�having been in�it longer.
Remember�how Tom Cable wanted to tie himself to Bruce Gradkowski like most�great quarterback/head coach combinations?
I looks like Jackson has going to tie himself to Palmer�a player he knows!���
What the Raiders Are Giving Up
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Jackson has particularly tied himself to Palmer in giving up a first-round pick in 2012 and a possible first-round pick in 2013. That means Campbell’s days as a quarterback�for the�Oakland Raider are likely over.
You don’t give up one, maybe two first-round picks to wait for another quarterback to get healthy again. Some will question this move because a first-round pick is one of the most valued things in NFL football.
But the move shows me that the time is now!
Strategy
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Opposing teams were getting hip to what the Raiders do and the NFL is a copycat league. The game plan against the Raiders�shifted to stopping the Raiders running game and making Campbell beat you.
Campbell wasn’t up to the task against the Patriots and he missed five deep balls that could have been touchdowns against the Texans. The Raiders pulled that game out but it was confirmation that the strategy gives teams the best chance against the Raiders.
What will opposing teams do now?
Palmer won’t miss on deep balls as frequently as Campbell did.
If opposing teams put eight in the box against the Raiders, they’re done.
The Raiders can beat you with the passing game now.
Pick your poison!
Overview
This trade is a win for both teams as the Bengals get two first-round picks and the Raiders don’t really need one the next couple of years. Terrelle Pryor would have been a first-round pick in 2012 but the Raiders got him for a third-round pick.
As I said before, the Raiders are loaded with young talent so it won’t do any damage to the Raiders. Pryor will be ready to take over for Palmer by the time he’s no longer able to do it and that won’t be until after 2013 anyway.
Jackson has shown he has a�lot of Al Davis in him as this trade reminds me of the Mike Haynes trade in 1983. He went after his man as Palmer has always been his man since Palmer was a teenager.
But what Jackson has really shown is, “The time is now!”
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