Carson Palmer to Oakland Raiders for 1st/2012

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A couple things:

Carson Palmer is still really, really good. The Raiders are the favorite in the AFC West. They have three divisional games coming up. If Hue Jackson thought he could win 2/3 with Kyle Boller, I'm sure he would have gone that route.

I thought the surplus value of Palmer's contract (through 2014) was at roughly the value of a first round pick. So the Raiders overpaid here because they were desperate. He's not worth a first round plus, though he is worth a first rounder.

The bigger issue here is that he cost a first rounder in a draft that could have solved the QB need for the next ten years instead of three. But hey, the starting QB is hurt and flags fly forever. If the Raiders go deep in the playoffs in 2011, it's a good deal. If they don't, then they probably had better options available.