Although several analysts have suggested Washington Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb will be the guy who eventually winds up behind center for the [intlink id=”35″ type=”category”]Minnesota Vikings[/intlink], the team has a lot of options.
Peter King suggests the [intlink id=”86″ type=”category”]Cincinnati Bengals[/intlink] Carson Palmer is one of them.
Palmer has said he won’t play for the Bengals again and who could blame him? Although he’d probably like to return to California, where he won the Heisman Trophy at USC, the decision won’t be up to him.
If both San Francisco and Arizona pass on a rookie high in the draft April 28, or pass on trading for Kevin Kolb of the Eagles, they’d be my leaders in the clubhouse — joined by Minnesota — in the race for Palmer. All of that could all be moot, of course, because of Bengals owner Mike Brown. He doesn’t care much for, nor is affected by, a player holding him hostage, never mind a player Brown has grown to like a lot as a man.
The 49ers and Cardinals are in much the same position as Minnesota. They don’t like the quarterback options on their roster and will look to the draft or a trade to improve the position, possibly both.
Kolb, the [intlink id=”374″ type=”category”]Philadelphia Eagles[/intlink] backup, is a possible option. The Eagles’ asking price is reportedly a first-round pick, though, so any team trading for Kolb would view him as a long-term answer, rather than just a temporary fill-in.
In Minnesota, the top option on the roster is second-year man Joe Webb, but the Vikings are serious about upgrading. They’ve scheduled workouts with several of the draft’s top quarterbacks, including Auburn’s Cam Newton, Missouri’s Blain Gabbert and Washington’s Jake Locker.
Even if they draft a quarterback in the early rounds, that doesn’t mean they won’t pursue a veteran like McNabb or Palmer to serve as a bridge while a rookie learns the ropes.
The Vikings would look somewhat dangerous pairing a guy like Palmer with Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin, at least on paper.
Palmer threw for 3,970 yards, 26 touchdowns and 20 interceptions in 2010.
Of course, no teams can make a trade under the lockout is over, so we’ll just sit here and talk about what ifs until these idiots get their shit together.
