Kent Somers

azcentral sports

The Cardinals have opened contract negotiations with quarterback Carson Palmer's agent, David Dunn, and hope to reach agreement before the end of the season.

"I won't get into specific points of the negotiations but we've had some dialogue with Dave Dunn," General Manager Steve Keim said. "He (Palmer) has done a great job for us."

Palmer is in his second season in Arizona after being traded by the Raiders to the Cardinals in April of 2013. Palmer signed a three-year deal then but the final year, 2015, voids if he is on the Cardinals' roster five business days after Super Bowl XLIX in Glendale on Feb. 1.

For salary cap purposes, that final year allowed the Cardinals to prorate Palmer's $6 million signing bonus over three years instead of two. Palmer is making $9 million in salary this season.

Palmer, who turns 35 in December, missed three games this season after suffering a nerve injury in his right shoulder in the first game. He played last week against Washington, and the Cardinals are confident the injury won't affect Palmer's long-term future.

Signing Palmer to an extension would solidify the position for the Cardinals, who are 14-7 since the arrival of coach Bruce Arians and Palmer.

Palmer struggled through the first half of 2013 as he and the rest of the offensive players learned Arians' system. In the Cardinals' last 14 games, Palmer has passed for 20 touchdowns with nine passes intercepted.

His backup, Drew Stanton, is under contract through 2015, and rookie Logan Thomas has a four-year deal.

UP NEXT

Arizona Cardinals (4-1) at Oakland Raiders (0-5)

Time/TV: Sunday at 1:25 p.m./Channel 10

Where: O.co Coliseum, Oakland, Calif.