Carson Palmer traded to the Oakland Raiders
Carson Palmer went to bed a retired football player resigned to the fact that the Cincinnati Bengals would never grant his wish to be traded.
He woke up to a text message early Tuesday morning telling him to fly to Oakland to complete a trade with the Raiders, who are counting on Palmer to replace the injured Jason Campbell and lead the team back to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
"It's been a whirlwind," Palmer said. "I understand what's expected of me. I know what playing quarterback is about, and it's about winning. I want to come in a contribute and do whatever I can to help this team."
The Raiders are hoping he can do a lot, having traded a 2012 first-round pick and a conditional second-rounder in 2013 that can become another first if Oakland reaches the AFC title game in either of the next two years.
Coach Hue Jackson believes Palmer is the ideal fit, having recruited and coached him at USC and been an assistant in Cincinnati with Palmer. "This guy can play and he knows how to play the game and he knows how to elevate the players around him," Jackson said.
The Bengals had been adamant about not trading Palmer, who wanted to be dealt from a team with only two winning records in the past 20 years.
Owner Mike Brown repeatedly insisted he wouldn't consider Palmer's request for a trade because he didn't want to reward him for holding out. He changed his mind after getting the big offer from the Raiders.
The Raiders (4-2) became desperate for a quarterback after Campbell broke his collarbone during a win over the Browns on Sunday.
Former Bills center Hull dies
Kent Hull, who served as Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly's center during the Buffalo Bills' AFC title years in the early 1990s, has died. He was 50. Mississippi State, where Hull played his college ball, announced he passed away. The cause of death was not immediately known.
Around the league
The sports agency representing Christian Ponder has tweeted that the rookie QB will replace Donovan McNabb as the Vikings' starter Sunday against Green Bay . . . The Eagles traded RB Ronnie Brown to the Lions for RB Jerome Harrison and an undisclosed draft pick in 2013 . . . Bengals running back Cedric Benson received a reduced, one-game suspension from the NFL for his misdemeanor assault cases settled before the season, a source told The Associated Press. The suspension originally was for three games.
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