CINCINNATI -- Sunday will mark the first time in 2,681 days that a Palmer will not be on the Cincinnati Bengals roster. In getting down to the 80-player limit, the Bengals released six players including quarterback Jordan Palmer. Since his older brother made his intentions that he wanted to be traded or else he was going to retire, Jordan Palmer was in the middle of an awkward situation.
During the lockout, Palmer helped organize two workouts in California for wide receivers, quarterbacks and running backs. When the players-only workouts were held here in June, Palmer and Andrew Whitworth were the two offensive leaders.
After the Bengals drafted Andy Dalton, Palmer said that the only thing he asked was for an opportunity to compete for the starting job. With the organization intent on going ahead with Dalton, signing Bruce Gradkowski and having a history of keeping younger players as the third QB, it was more of a matter of when Palmer would get released rather than if.
Palmer's only action of the preseason was in the Aug. 12 loss at Detroit. He saw 15 snaps and was 1 of 4 for 7 yards and an interception.
Said Palmer on Saturday: "As I started to see this unfolding in terms of the opportunity I was given, I'm not as surprised now. I enjoyed my time here and worked hard and appreciate the experience and the opportunity."
Dalton's first interaction with his new teammates came largely through Palmer when he attended the May workouts in California.
"It was great that he was around and he was able to help me through that time and to get to know the guys. He definitely helped me out," Dalton said.
The only time Jordan Palmer commented publicly about Carson's situation came during the June workouts at UC, when he said he was separating himself from what Carson was doing and referred to him as a former teammate.
In three seasons, Palmer got into four regular-season games. He was 10 of 15 for 59 yards and two interceptions.
When asked if this was a finality with the Palmers, Whitworth said he saw it as a case of everyone continuing to move on but also that it was a matter of Dalton and Gradkowski being the right guys.
"You look at it - Bruce is a guy that's played in this offense and had some experience and won some big games, as we well know here," Whitworth said. "With what was going on with Carson, you drafted Andy Dalton to be our quarterback and he's done nothing but show that he can handle that. So I think they realized that they had the two guys that were the most well-fit for the system. I think it's that simple."
If the Bengals were ever going to go with just two quarterbacks, this would be the year that they join a growing amount of teams around the league by going that way.
Another thing that might help that move is that one player has been added to the game-day roster (46) and that the third QB rule is no more.
Head coach Marvin Lewis said the advantage of having just two quarterbacks is that teams can add another position player that give them more value throughout the season or address an area wracked by injuries.
"Now that the third QB doesn't become your 46th guy automatically there's to me, you'll see less teams keep a third quarterback," Lewis said. "It could be an extra linebacker, defensive back or an offensive skill guy who can help one of your guys who is more of a special teamer than a guy who is not."
Also released were safety Tom Nelson, who played in 20 games over two seasons with three starts, cornerbacks LeRoy Vann and Fred Bennett, linebacker Stephen Franklin and wide receiver Jamere Holland.
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