Bengals owner Mike Brown says he’s going to keep Carson Palmer, and there’s no reason to really doubt him. (When Mike Brown decides on something, he usually sticks with something.)
If Brown did change his mind, Mike Lombardi of NFL Network says that the 49ers are a team to watch. Lombardi believes the 49ers at least could make a phone call to Brown. The 49ers need a veteran quarterback, and members of their front office are represented by David Dunn, who is also Palmer’s agent and 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh’s agent.
We tend to give this report more credence than your normal speculation because Lombardi is close with Harbaugh and nearly wound up working for him in San Francisco.
The NFC West certainly looks like a possible landing spot for any quarterback on the move this offseason. San Francisco, Arizona, and Seattle should all be looking for signal callers.