Carson Palmer's return buys Cardinals time to figure out future at QB

TEMPE, Ariz. — The inevitable is inevitable for the Arizona Cardinals.

At some point, they’ll have to find a successor to quarterback Carson Palmer, someone who can take the reins of coach Bruce Arians’ complex and layered offense, and find as much personal and team success as Palmer has over the past four seasons.

It just won’t be happening this season.

With Palmer’s announcement Thursday that he’ll be returning for the 2017 season, the Cardinals buy themselves another year to find their long-term solution at quarterback. But that shouldn’t be reason to stop looking. This is as good a year as any to either draft, sign or trade for a quarterback of the future and let him sit behind Palmer, watch, study and learn. It’s also as good a time as any because they’re not desperate to replace Palmer.

“I hope to,” Arians said of finding the heir apparent to Palmer. “That will be one of our main objectives in the offseason, is to make sure the franchise isn’t in the situation it was after Kurt [Warner], that the next guy is here and ready to roll.”

But Palmer’s return has given the franchise a buffer.

He’s still flourishing in his late 30s, throwing for another 4,233 yards and 26 touchdowns in a season when he turned 37 — and that was without two of his top targets at full power. With a fully charged cadre of receivers and an offensive line that doesn’t get hurt, Palmer could return to the MVP level he played at in 2015.

Critics may say Palmer has lost a step (although he never was a speedster out of the pocket) or that his throws don’t have the zip they once did. But Palmer has showed he can adjust and adapt — and still throw for 4,000 yards without as many deep throws as he had in 2015, when he, along with New England’s Tom Brady, received one MVP vote while the other 48 went to Carolina’s Cam Newton.

One of the most common refrains heard from his teammates is that Palmer is a workaholic. He’s constantly studying, watching film and working out. He’ll keep himself in top shape to get through the grind of the season. Last season, the Cardinals gave him Wednesdays off to keep his arm fresh. He may be old by NFL standards, but he won’t be reporting for OTAs and minicamp taped and glued together. At this point, Palmer still is the best option to lead the franchise on another playoff run. It helped that wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald decided to return last week as well.