A decade ago, when NFL agent David Dunn was trying to spring Carson Palmer out of purgatory with the Cincinnati Bengals, team owner Mike Brown issued a public statement that was clear and forceful: Not only was Palmer not going to be traded, Cincinnati wasn’t even open to listening to offers.
“Carson is central to what we do,” Brown said.
Nine months after that statement — following Palmer's refusal to report to the Bengals and threats to retire — Brown caved, ending an ugly standoff by sending Cincinnati's longtime quarterback to the Oakland Raiders for draft picks.