The Facts: Following up on the ongoing story. ... When the Raiders asked Palmer to take a $3 million pay cut earlier this month, his decision seemed like a no-brainer. By proposing that the 33-year-old QB take a relatively modest reduction from his $13 million base salary, rather than a drastic cut, the Raiders were essentially affirming their faith in Palmer's abilities. And given that it's highly unlikely Palmer could command anywhere close to $10 million annually on the open market, staying seemed like the obvious play. Yet Palmer, Yahoo! Sports has learned and other media outlets have reported, balked at the Raiders' request, a move that could lead to his outright release. The QB's decision, according to three sources familiar with Palmer's mindset, is based on a sense that Oakland's prospects for success in 2013 are so bleak that money is no longer the predominant factor in his thought process.

Diehards Line: The fact that GM Reggie McKenzie told Sirius/XM NFL radio in January that third-year backup Terrelle Pryor would have a chance to compete for the starting job in 2013 likely didn't increase Palmer's enthusiasm for accepting a pay cut. Whereas Palmer's return to the Raiders seemed like a given just a few weeks ago, Yahoo's Michael Silver reports there's an increasing sense both inside the organization and in Palmer's camp that a divorce is imminent. Palmer's rejection of the Raiders' proposal could lead him to the Cardinals, who are in the market for a starting QB, or possibly put him on the path to becoming a backup for a contending team (perhaps Pete Carroll and the Seahawks would be interested). Unless Palmer has a change of heart, the Raiders will have to decide whether to pay him the $13 million or move on without him. But they have plenty of time to decide. As Profootballtalk.com notes, with no seven-figure trigger in Palmer’s deal, the $13 million doesn’t become fully guaranteed until Week 1, which means the Raiders can cut him much later in the offseason, if they draft a quarterback early — or if they eventually decide Pryor can get the job done. ... Stay tuned.