Too Much

In the best-selling book MoneyBall, author Michael Lewis cites a telling quote from Oakland Athletics' General Manager Billy Beane (yes, for non-sport fans, as played by Brad Pitt in the movie-version):

"The day you say you have to do something, you're screwed.  Because you are going to make a bad deal.  You can always recover from the player you didn't sign.  You may never recover from the player that you signed at the wrong price."

I think Beane's observation accurately describes the Oakland Raiders this week.

With QB Jason Campbell injured and out indefinitely, Raiders management acquired QB Carson Palmer from the Bengals.

The asking price for the disgruntled Palmer before the apparently desperate Raiders contacted them was rumored to be a second round draft pick.

Quite a difference as compared to the first round draft pick, and another conditional draft pick (that could be a first-rounder as well)  the Raiders will lose in the trade.

So, acquiring Palmer may solidify a respectable Raiders team, and likely will send them into the playoffs.

But, would Oakland have been better off keeping those top picks and trading for unwanted game managers Kyle Orton or Donovan McNabb?    

Does trading so much of your future for a veteran QB who has never quite looked like the superstar he was prior to suffering that a serious knee injury a few years ago make long-term sense?

I say "no", but time will tell.

The Bengals' management is sure smiling though.