ALAMEDA - Carson Palmer said he still has the passion to play football.
That's a fair question considering Palmer, the former two-time Pro Bowl quarterback, was willing to sit out this season instead of playing for the Cincinnati Bengals.
"I hoped (to play this season)," Palmer said. "I definitely hoped. I definitely wanted to. I just didn't know if a trade was going to happen."
The Raiders made Palmer's hope a reality Tuesday when they acquired him for a first round pick in 2012 and a conditional second round pick in 2013.
If the Raiders play in the AFC Championship game in either of the next two seasons, the Bengals receive a first round pick in 2013.
Palmer declined to discuss what made being a Bengal so bad that he would rather not play football. Palmer said it was simply time to move on.
"For me to go into certain aspects of what happened in the past, that's the past to me now," Palmer said. "I'm looking toward the future, I'm looking to tomorrow morning, starting meetings and getting out there to practice and the next however many weeks this season lasts. That's what I'm focused on, that's what I'm worried about right now."
Palmer said it would be up to coach Hue Jackson to decide when he makes his debut. Jackson, of course, was giving no hints when asked if Palmer would start against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Kyle Boller was slated to start before today's trade.
"I'm not going to let that out of the bag just yet," Jackson said. "But you've got to be ready for anything from me. I think you know that. We'll see as we continue to move through the week exactly where we are."
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.