Carson Palmer Carted Off With Knee Injury Three Days After Signing Three-Year Extension

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer was carted off the field in the fourth quarter of a big win against the St. Louis Cardinals at home with a knee injury. The severity of which is not yet known, but he did not return to the game.

Even without any definitive answers, it certainly looked bad. The only Rams defender in the area when Palmer went down barely got a hand on his jersey and slipped to the ground several feet away. Palmer then collapsed to the ground in a heap, obviously in pain and clutching his knee.

Minimal/no-contact knee injuries are usually pretty severe.

Speculation out of Glendale is that it could be a torn ACL. As if that isn’t bad enough, it’s on the same knee Palmer shredded in a playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2006. He was lucky to have returned back then, considering the injury was described as “devastating and potentially career-ending.”

Palmer had youth on his side the first time around—he had just turned 26 at the time. He’ll be 35 next month and already missed several games earlier this season with a pinched nerve in his neck.

It’s a potentially devastating bit of news for the Cardinals, who currently sit atop the NFC West at 8-1. Drew Stanton has been a capable backup in Palmer’s absence, but that Arizona offense isn’t nearly as dynamic with him behind center.

Also a potential concern for the Cardinals is the fact that they signed Carson to a three-year, $50 million extension just three days ago. Perhaps it’s a bit too soon to say they regret that $20 million in guaranteed money, but the timing has to sting.