The Cardinals will ebb and flow with Carson Palmer in 2015. After watching the team without him in 2014 and through its early playoff exit, there is no doubt about this.
Thankfully for Bruce Arians and the organization, Palmer's recovery from a torn ACL is going well. So well, in fact, that Palmer isn't even thinking about it anymore.
"I'm not even thinking about my knee," Palmer told the team's website. "I'm still rehabbing just to be on the safe side of things but I don't need to be at rehab. I'm full go in the weight room, full go on the field, and until it's brought up, I haven't thought about what I'm not doing because I'm doing everything I was doing."
Out of every quarterback in the NFL, Palmer may be one of the 10 most important to his team based on the talent around -- and behind -- him. As Marc Sessler noted in his recent backup quarterback ratings, Drew Stanton is solid and isn't afraid to take shots downfield, a rarity for solid backup quarterbacks. However, the system and team in place requires more than a replacement level player. It requires someone extraordinary.
At 35, we could be witnessing the best years of Palmer's career. Either that, or we'll at least appreciate how good he was individually despite finishing just four of his 11 seasons with a winning record.
*The latest Around The NFL Podcast discusses recent news from around the league, including the new contracts for Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas. *
