CINCINNATI – In 2003, everything was in place for the Bengals to take a quarterback with the first overall draft pick.
Cincinnati was coming off a 2-14 season. Attendance was down. Jon Kitna was in his 30s. A new head coach — Marvin Lewis — wanted a franchise quarterback.
A Heisman Trophy winner was available. Carson Palmer from USC became the face of a forlorn franchise and made it relevant again, leading Cincinnati to the playoffs twice — both losses — before insisting he wanted out.
The Bengals hadn't won a playoff game since the 1990 season, one of the worst stretches of futility in NFL history. The streak is intact as the Bengals get ready to repeat history with the first overall pick.