NFL power rankings: Starting quarterbacks from best to worst
By John Buhler
Carson Palmer
Quarterback, Arizona Cardinals
At 37 years old, Carson Palmer may have only a year or two left to be an NFL starting quarterback. He first came on the NFL scene as the No. 1 overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2003 NFL Draft. After a successful stint in Cincinnati, Palmer struggled quarterbacking the Oakland Raiders. He has since found success in the Valley of the Sun with the Arizona Cardinals.
Palmer is only two years removed from his best NFL season. He was considered the runner-up to Cam Newton for 2015 NFL MVP. However, injuries and a slight dip on his fastball have Palmer clinging on to his starting job in Glendale beyond 2017.
In 2016, Palmer completed 61.0 percent of his passes for 4,233 yards, 26 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. It was a run of the mill year for Palmer, but his Cardinals went a miserable 6-8-1 in his 15 starts.
That being said, Palmer may have one more Pro Bowl level year left in the tank. He has the powerful right arm to make all the difficult vertical throws required to succeed in Bruce Arians’ offense. However, his receiving corps is not what it was in years past.
Palmer can lead the Cardinals to victory in Super Bowl LII. Since he won’t likely be an MVP candidate at 37 years old, he will have to lean on the running game of David Johnson and Arizona’s swarming secondary. If Arizona hasn’t tabbed Palmer’s heir apparent in Glendale, they need to do it now. That gap between Kurt Warner and Palmer was brutal to endure.