National Football League

Palmer throwing, hopes to practice this week

Published Oct. 8, 2014 4:23 p.m. ET

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TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) Carson Palmer said Wednesday that his injured shoulder is feeling no negative reaction to the previous day's throwing session and the Arizona Cardinals quarterback said he hopes to be able to go through a full practice by Thursday or Friday.

Whether he will be able to play Sunday when Arizona is home against Washington remains to be seen.

''I've just got to be able to throw a ball, let loose and throw hard,'' Palmer said before Wednesday's practice. ''That's basically it.''

Palmer has been out since the season opener with a ''dead'' nerve in his throwing shoulder. He finally made progress in bringing the nerve back to life in sessions with a specialist in Colorado last week. He said he probably would fly back to Denver to see the specialist on Friday.

Coach Bruce Arians said Palmer's backup, Drew Stanton, who sustained a concussion in Sunday's loss at Denver, would be doing light tosses on Wednesday.

''He still has not gotten through the (concussion) protocol but he's cleared to throw,'' Arians said, ''so we'll keep our fingers crossed there.''

Palmer and Stanton were throwing short passes in the portion of Wednesday's practice that was open to reporters.

Rookie Logan Thomas is taking reps with the first team in the absence of Palmer and Stanton. Thomas played the final quarter against the Broncos after Stanton - the starter for three games following Palmer's injury - was knocked out of Sunday's 41-20 loss. Thomas was 1-for-8 passing but the one completion, to Andre Ellington, went 81 yards for a touchdown.

''It's a blessing, it's an honor and I'm very thankful for it,'' Thomas said of his chance to play in a regular-season game. ''I'm not thankful for the way it happened, obviously, but it was good to get my feet wet.''

In case Palmer and Stanton can't play, the Cardinals signed Dennis Dixon to the practice squad on Tuesday. Dixon, who would back up Thomas if necessary, was with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2008 through 2011, when Arians was the offensive coordinator, so he's familiar with the coach's system.

''The second I actually got the call I already knew some of my go-to plays if I was to get in the game,'' he said.

Arians said Palmer threw about 40 passes on Tuesday. Palmer said he was throwing at 35 to 40 percent of his full strength.

''I try to ramp it up a little bit every day,'' he said.

Asked if he would press himself harder to play if he knows Stanton can't go, Palmer said, ''I really haven't thought of it like that.''

''I'm just worried about feeling comfortable with the game plan,'' he said, ''knowing what we're doing, why we're doing it and trying to get as many throws in as I can to get comfortable and make sure the nerve stays `on' in my shoulder.''

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AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

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