How will Palmer fare without Housh?

Carson Palmer is an obvious question mark among quarterbacks entering the 2009 season. He is on the road to recovery from an excruciating elbow injury that caused him to miss 12 games in 2008. His favorite target TJ Houshmandzadeh signed with the Seattle Seahawks, leaving a huge void in the already depleted Bengals’ wide receiver core. He has lashed out against his most talented wide receiver, Chad Ochocinco, scolding him for skipping offseason workouts.

Now, things are finally looking up for the USC graduate. Palmer is no longer on the offensive, but rather supporting Ochocinco, insisting the organization will welcome him into preseason camp: "I never once said anything about not wanting him here and not needing him. He's a Pro Bowl receiver. He's put up a ton of yards. He's extremely dangerous to cover. We would love him when he comes here, but he's not here right now."

Laveranues Coles join as a deep-ball threat, leaving the Bengals without a true possession receiver. They do have two young guys with plenty of potential: Chris Henry and Andre Caldwell. But, Coles will need to step up as a dependable leader to revive the team’s once explosive aerial assault.

The true question is whether Palmer’s report that his shoulder is “100% again” is reliable. If his statement is accurate, he should have no problem reaching another 25-TD, 3,800 passing yard season – numbers he has reached every season in which he started 16 games.

We trust he is telling the truth – Palmer should be considered an elite quarterback in any fantasy draft format.