Armando Salguero: Evidence Points To Bengals Inching Towards Carson Palmer Trade

There have been rumblings recently that the Miami Dolphins are highly interested in Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer. Former Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino argued that he'd trade for Carson Palmer, but with nothing more than a third round draft pick. And realistically speaking, no trade can happen until a new collective bargaining agreement is signed -- or the players win the injunction that started today and the owners aren't awarded a stay during an appeal lifting the lockout. By that time, we're looking at 2012 draft picks.

Miami Herald's Armando Salguero, who wrote that Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett has no leadership skills, is still "on the Carson Palmer trade bandwagon." Why?

It's not so much anything is confirmed about the Dolphins interest, rather it's that personnel in the front office aren't disputing it.

After I wrote the column on Palmer saying the Dolphins view him as a singular special options above guys like Kyle Orton or Vince Young, I told a high-ranking Dolphins personnel man about my column. He didn't say, "We're definitely going to do that." He did say, "He's a great kid. That would be something to think about for a long time. But he's not available right now."

What's more telling, or worth noting at least, is that Salguero writes that "(every) shred of evidence coming from the Bengals is they might actually be inching toward the idea of trading Palmer."

What evidence? Subjective tweet by Adam Schefter about the team interested in Kevin Kolb? A disputed Peter King blurb? The team doing their homework on most of the quarterbacks expected to be drafted in the first two rounds? Stubborn ownership keeps us firmly in the corner that Carson Palmer won't play at all in 2011. And if he does, it's because he realizes he's being a baby and he'll return and play the season while the Bengals find a solution and trade him next offseason (ala Boomer Esiason). Not that I actually have evidence of that.

And yes, trades can't happen now. But they can happen once labor peace returns.