The Cincinnati Bengals are effectively on the clock with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, and all signs point to LSU quarterback Joe Burrow as the most sensible target.

The last time the Bengals held the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, back in 2003, they used it on a Heisman-winning franchise quarterback in Carson Palmer.

In an exclusive interview with Draft Wire, Palmer shares his thoughts on Burrow to the Bengals, rookie sensation Kyler Murray, some of this year’s top quarterback and running back performances, and much more.

JM: The FedEx Air and Ground NFL Players of the Year Awards recognize the top quarterback and running back performances of the 2019 season. We have Lamar Jackson, Russell Wilson and Patrick Mahomes as the quarterback nominees, and Derrick Henry, Nick Chubb and Christian McCaffrey for the running backs. Who gets your vote?

CP: It’s tough to vote against Lamar Jackson. With the year that he had, you could really vote for him as the Air Player of the Year and the Ground Player of the Year (laughs). I’m gonna go against the grain here. I love what Russell Wilson and Christian McCaffrey did this year. I think they both had phenomenal years. Russell had different running backs in and out of the lineup, they had some injuries up front, a rookie wide receiver. You look at what Christian McCaffrey did with three different quarterbacks throughout the season, two head coaches and two offensive coordinators. I think those two guys would get my vote.

JM: You make a fair point. FedEx will make a $20,000 donation to the USO in the name of both winning quarterback and running back, totaling $40,000. Why is this cause so important to you?

CP: It’s amazing what FedEx is doing with the USO Pathfinder Program. It helps our recently retired service men and women transition into the next stage of their careers. It’s an important cause that I hold close to my heart. I just finished playing football after 15 years and I understand the feeling of wondering what’s next. I know how important it is to have that support. What FedEx is doing is donating money to a great cause. The USO Pathfinder Program really helps our retired service men and women figure out what’s next for them.

JM: There’s no doubt about that. We’re getting down to the nitty-gritty here in the NFL Playoffs. Eight teams remain. Who’s your pick to win the Super Bowl?

CP: I think we have some pretty good odds of seeing the Kansas City Chiefs versus the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl. I don’t know who’s gonna win. I think that would be a great match-up, though. I liked the way those two teams were built going into the post-season. At this point, I can see those two teams meeting up in Miami. I don’t know who would win that game. You know how it is on Super Bowl Sunday, it’s anybody’s game. We’ve seen some crazy things happen the last few years. I really like the way those two teams are built right now.

JM: The Cincinnati Bengals made you the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft. That was actually the last time they used a first-round pick on a quarterback. That is unlikely to remain the case after the 2020 draft. What’s your take on the situation the Bengals find themselves in, and what are your thoughts on LSU quarterback Joe Burrow?

CP: I think between Joe Burrow and the Ohio State defensive end Chase Young, the Bengals have a decision to make and I’m not sure there’s a wrong decision between those guys. I think both of those guys are gonna have phenomenal careers. At the end of the day, the quarterback position is just so important and Cincinnati desperately needs a quarterback. I can see Joe Burrow going No. 1 overall there. With Chase Young and the year he had, he looks like an absolute game-wrecker at the NFL level. Again, the quarterback position is just so important and there’s so few great quarterbacks.

I think Burrow is gonna be a great NFL quarterback. He’s led his team up until this point, he’s been extremely tough in the pocket. He’s more athletic than people give him credit for. We’ve seen him use his legs a little bit and I think that’s an underrated trait to his game. Quarterbacks running in the SEC typically translate over well to the pro game. If you can run, take off and get 10 yards here and there against SEC defenses, there’s a good chance that you can do that at the NFL level as well. He’s that type of athlete and he has a dynamic skill-set.

JM: You actually sat out your rookie season behind veteran quarterback Jon Kitna, despite being selected No. 1 overall. It was a pretty common trend in your day, but we don’t really see that much anymore. If a QB goes No. 1 overall nowadays, he’s virtually handed the starting job on the spot. Would you like to see an NFL franchise let these kids sit and learn for a year as you did?

CP: I think that’s more a function of the salary cap and rookie wage scale. When I was coming out, and Phillip Rivers did the same thing by sitting for a year, that was before the rookie wage scale. We were signing six-year contracts back then. Nowadays, these guys are forced to sign four-year contracts. The team and the players don’t have the luxury of sitting and waiting. We’re talking about missing out on 25% of their rookie contracts by sitting them for even just a year. When it’s all said and done, that gives them just three years to make a decision on their future and if they’re gonna reward a guy with a big, massive contract extension. I think it’s a function of the way the salary cap and the rookie wage scale is set up nowadays. Ideally, I think it’s important for a guy to sit and watch for a year. You just don’t see that anymore for the reasons I outlined above.

JM: You finished your playing career in Arizona, where another young quarterback just wrapped up an impressive rookie campaign. What was your take on Kyler Murray this year?

CP: He had a great year. He stayed healthy. I think he’s gonna learn a lot from this year. He’s gonna go back and watch the tape and identify some areas he can potentially improve in. I think he’s gonna take a look at some of the sacks he took and find ways to get out of those. He’s gonna be better next year. I think the thing that impressed me the most with him was the lack of turnovers. That’s one of the things you sometimes see, especially with these young quarterbacks that haven’t played a ton in college like Kyler, because he really only played that one year at Oklahoma.

You sometimes see these guys come into the league and turn the ball over. They make mental mistakes, they make some throwing mistakes. Overall, I just didn’t feel like we saw that from him. I feel like he was really, really protective of the football. He’s a smart guy. He took some chances here and there but it’s not like he threw 25 interceptions and had 10 fumbles. Those numbers aren’t atypical of a rookie quarterback but we didn’t really see that with Kyler. I think the sky is the limit for him. He’s really gonna pick up where he left off and get better next year.

JM: I’m gonna ask you for one final prediction. We have LSU vs. Clemson in the College Football National Championship game coming up in just a few days here. Joe Burrow against Trevor Lawrence. Who do you have and why? Maybe throw in a final score if you can.

CP: I think it’s gonna be an amazing game. I just like Dabo [Swinney’s] coaching staff. I like their experience. They’ve coached in this game before, Trevor Lawrence played in this game when he was just a young pup and he’s won it already. I just think they have the experience edge. They both have great recruiting classes and coaching staffs. They both have NFL talent all over the field. I can’t wait to watch the game. I just feel like it’s gonna be Clemson’s game. They’ve been there before and they know what it takes. Most of those guys have played in this game and on this stage. They know what to expect. It’s the opposite for LSU and their guys. I think the experience will win out.

As for a final score, I think it’s gonna be a little more low scoring than some people expect. I’ll go with 24-17 for Clemson.

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