6 most disappointing trades in Cincinnati Bengals history

Trading Carson Palmer in 2011

This is another trade that makes this list because of “what could have been” when it comes to the player being traded. We all know that Carson Palmer was a fantastic quarterback but he was at his wits end with the Bengals organization and it led to the franchise finally trading their former No. 1 overall pick after he spent eight years in the Queen City.

Palmer was sent to Oakland in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft and a second-round pick in 2013. These picks ended up turning into Dre Kirkpatrick and Giovani Bernard, who were both solid players during their Bengals tenures.

Be that as it may, it was disappointing to see the Palmer era end the way that it did.

Under Palmer, the Bengals made the playoffs twice and had some really explosive offenses. But his frustration came to a head when the team faltered in 2010 and he demanded a trade or else he’d retire. That put the organization in a tough spot, as they’d either have to trade their franchise quarterback or hold onto him but risk him not playing.

Well, the Bengals called his bluff and Palmer sat out the early portion of the 2011 season. After a month had passed in the 2011 season, Palmer was sent to Oakland for the aforementioned picks.

It was a trade that worked out okay for the Bengals but fans were certainly saddened to see the Palmer era come to an end in the way that it did. He was a great quarterback and to see him finish his career elsewhere when he could have played out the rest of his career with the team who drafted him was frustrating.