Cardinals QB Carson Palmer Officially Returning For 2017 Season

Cardinals QB Carson Palmer announced Thursday that he’s officially returning for the 2017 season.

“My intent was to take some time after the season to get away and see where I was physically and mentally,” Palmer said. “On both fronts, I can say I’m ready to get back to work and prepare for the 2017 season. This is a phenomenal group with a very special opportunity in front of it. I know how rare that is and I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of it.”

Cardinals HC Bruce Arians said last Friday during an appearance on ESPN’s NFL Insiders that he expected Palmer to announce his return for the 2017 season “real soon,” so this doesn’t come as a big surprise.

Indications have been that Palmer could be more likely to return next year, despite some recent speculation that he may instead retire. Of course, Larry Fitzgerald‘s decision to return for the 2017 season was viewed as a good sign that Palmer would be back in Arizona next season.

Palmer, 37, was in the third year of his four-year, $58.5 million contract and set to make a base salary of $6.35 million for the 2016 season when the Cardinals signed him to a one-year extension worth $24.35 million before the start of the season.

In 2016, Palmer has appeared in 15 games and thrown for 4,233 yards while completing 61 percent of his passes to go along with 26 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 17 quarterback out of 34 qualifying players.