Adam Schefter on SportsCenter: Bengals Could Rebuild, Reload and Remake their Franchise

On Wednesday morning, ESPN's flagship program, "SportsCenter," was abuzz with the news that Carson Palmer spoke through a confidant that he would never step foot in Paul Brown Stadium again, saying:

"I have $80 million in the bank. I don't have to play football for money. I'll play it for the love of the game but that would have to be elsewhere. I'm prepared to live my life."

Adam Schefter joined hosts to discuss the Bengals most pressing issue.

"Well there was more color brought to the situation than there has been previously. This is nothing that we haven't heard before. Carson Palmer is determined to get out of Cincinnati. He doesn't want to play there again. We heard some chatter over the weekend at the Combine that the Bengals actually would entertain the idea of looking into dealing Carson Palmer and moving on without him. Now they do have the fourth overall pick and if they were to trade Carson Palmer, with all the interest there would be from NFC West teams, with Arizona, San Francisco and Seattle, all in need of a quarterback, they could play those teams off one another, and I think they can get back a No. 1 draft pick in return for Carson Palmer. The Bengals could then arm themselves with two number ones, if they were willing, to try to rebuild and reload and remake this franchise. Now, again, it's a question of whether the Bengals would want to go in that direction. They've been very stubborn in the past before. It's uncertain that they would do that now. But, Carson Palmer does seem determined to force his way out of Cincinnati and to never again play for the Bengals."

Nothing makes more sense than to trade Carson Palmer rather than let him retire and get nothing for him. What definitely doesn't make sense is Mike Brown's stance to allow him to leave Cincinnati and get nothing in return. It makes so little sense, in fact, that my nose started bleeding and I popped a blood vessel in my eye as I typed the previous sentence. I think it's clear now, that if Palmer isn't given the trade he has demanded, he'll retire and burn the franchise.

It's time to make a move.