Carson Palmer and the deep pass have come a long way

The Arizona Cardinals with their Bruce Arians offense try to push the ball down the field. It is not a dink and dunk passing game. It is predicated on chunk plays. They throw the ball down the field a lot. Carson Palmer has improved quite a but in three seasons in the offense.

In 2013, Palmer's first year with the Cardinals, he threw for the fourth-highest total yards on deep throws with more than 1350 yards. He threw eight touchdown passes and nine interceptions for a passer rating of 77.4. That's not all that impressive.

He was better in 2015.

He threw the third most deep passes in 2015 and completed the second most (61/131). He threw for 1703 yards on deep throws -- the second highest total in the league behind Blake Bortles' 1836 passing yards on deep throws.

More importantly, he threw for 13 touchdowns and only seven interceptions, good for a passer rating greater than 103.

Palmer has improved with age and the knocks on his arm have been unfounded. He can make deep throws and can complete them. As long as he is doing that, there is no reason to believe he can't continue playing at a high level. If the numbers start slipping, then we will see a player who needs to be replaced, as the Arians offense needs a guy who can throw the ball down the field.