Palmer is ready and able again

Chad  Johnson  Ocho Cinco Ochocinco is making headlines by skipping the first day of Cincinnati's offseason conditioning program, but a player that showed up was the bigger story.

Carson Palmer says he is "100%" recovered from the elbow injury that forced him to miss 12 games last season.  Palmer did not undergo surgery, as many feared he would, so it remains to be seen if his wing is truly healthy.

It wasn't so long ago that Palmer was thought of as the best young quarterback in football, the most likely heir to the Brady/Manning franchise quarterback throne.  Now he's at a career crossroads, out to prove that he's not an injury-prone player who can't lift a depressed franchise. 

It would be nice if number 85 was lifting weights with his buddies and all, but Palmer's health will make or break the Bengals' season.