ESPN reported Palmer was threatening to retire last season rather than play for the Cincinnati Bengals, so the team eventually gave him his wish and traded him to the Oakland Raiders.
The former Heisman Trophy winner was thrown into the mix less than a week after being traded, and he struggled in his first game. In his first half of the season, Palmer threw three interceptions against the Kansas City Chiefs.
It foreshadowed things to come for the Raiders. Palmer would go on to throw 16 interceptions in 9.5 games in 2011.
Last year was a waste of a season for the veteran quarterback, and now he needs to prove he was worth sending two draft picks to Cincinnati.
All of the pressure was on Palmer to make the playoffs last season. The midseason trade brought high expectations, but he failed to live up to them.
However, he was unfairly criticized for his poor play because he had to carry the team. Darren McFadden was off to a good start in 2011, but was injured before Palmer arrived. The running back did not play in a single game with the team's new acquisition last year.
McFadden is a multi-purpose back, and his ability to catch the football makes him a dangerous threat. He will be a security blanket for the Raiders in the passing game this season.
Palmer had to play with Michael Bush as his running back, and he did a good job of filling in for McFadden. The biggest reason the 32-year-old struggled, though, was the lack of chemistry with his receivers. T.J. Houshmandzadeh was brought in to try helping the quarterback, but the two failed to relive their days in Cincinnati.
Now, Palmer has had a full offseason to build chemistry with receive...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
