For the first time in 17 years, the Bengals have the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. In 2003, Carson Palmer was Cincinnati’s obvious choice. This year, Palmer doesn’t think the Bengals should necessarily use the pick on the reigning Heisman-winning quarterback.

Appearing on “The Dan Patrick Show,” the three-time Pro Bowler noted that Ohio State defensive end Chase Young is probably a better prospect than LSU’s Joe Burrow, who Palmer fears could be an “extremely risky” pick.

“You’ve got a chance to get a guy who can get after the quarterback probably 14 to 15 to 16 times — like a Von Miller type of career at defensive end, that guy’s hard to pass up. And the other thing about Chase Young too is he’s great in the run game,” Palmer said.

“There is a ton of unknowns on Joe [Burrow]. He played [two] year[s] of college football. It is extremely risky, right? But you’ve got to have a quarterback. And that position is — as we know — it’s the position you have to have. Every team that is a Super Bowl contender has a quarterback. So until you have that guy, you’re always looking for him…..Chase Young, as you’re saying, could be the best player in the draft — probably is the best player in the draft. I think it’s a really difficult decision that they have to make. They have to either pass up on a guy that’s a 14-sack guy or go after a guy that could be the future of your franchise and handle the quarterback position for the future of your franchise for the next 10 to 15 years. It’s obviously a big decision and a difficult decision.”

While ignoring that Burrow is coming off perhaps the greatest individual season by a quarterback in college football history — setting an all-time record with a 76.3 completion percentage, while throwing 60 touchdowns, six interceptions and leading LSU to a perfect record and national championship — Palmer also strangely points to the presence of 32-year-old Bengals starter Andy Dalton as a reason to pass on the best quarterback prospect in the draft.

“At the end of the day, when you’re looking at Andy Dalton, who’s currently under contract for the Bengals, who is a really good player. He gets a knock mainly because he’s played for the Bengals,” Palmer said, via the Cincinnati Enquirer. “But Andy can play. And Andy may not be a No. 1 pick and may not be that guy off the draft board but Andy has been extremely, extremely productive.”

Dalton was taken by Cincinnati in the second round in 2011, when Palmer threatened to retire unless the Bengals traded him. That October, Palmer was sent to the Raiders, following seven seasons in Cincinnati.

Despite Palmer’s longtime criticism of the franchise for its lack of commitment to winning, he wouldn’t dissuade the Ohio native from joining the Bengals.

“That’s his local hometown team. I get why he’s excited about the opportunity and looking forward to it and going there. I mean, that’s most guys’ dream is to play for their childhood team,” Palmer told The Pat McAfee Show. “So aside from the fact that the team – the organization – has struggled mightily for forever, that’s his team. That’s his childhood. He grew up on Sunday mornings getting up and watching the games. So it’s a special situation for him and a chance to go home and be in front of his family.

“I know I’ve been critical of the organization for years and I have my reasons for that. … Here’s another thing that makes Joe great: Joe is extremely mature and extremely bright, and it doesn’t give him the credit he deserves to think that some old, washed-up quarterback came in and told him not to go there so he’s not gonna go there.”