ALAMEDA, Calif. — The Oakland Raiders are changing directions at quarterback once again.
The Raiders acquired Seattle backup Matt Flynn on Monday for draft picks, bringing an end to Carson Palmer’s brief tenure as starter in Oakland even before they are done paying the steep price they dealt to acquire him.
“Matt’s one of those guys, even though he hasn’t had a lot of opportunities, when he’s had those opportunities, he’s made the most out of those chances,” Raiders coach Dennis Allen said.
Oakland will send a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a conditional pick in 2015 to Seattle. Flynn will compete with Terrelle Pryor for the starting job with Palmer on his way out of Oakland.
Fox Sports reported Palmer was expected to be dealt to Arizona for a draft pick. The Raiders traded a 2012 first-round draft pick and 2013 second-rounder to Cincinnati for Palmer during the 2011 season.
Palmer fell one game short of the playoffs that season and the Raiders then regressed and went 4-12 this past year. With Palmer owed $13 million for this season and reportedly unwilling to take a pay cut, the rebuilding Raiders went a different direction.