Some View Tampa as Possible Landing Spot for Favre

There is growing sentiment in and around the league, it seems, that one possible resolution to the Brett Favre mess in Green Bay is a trade of the quarterback from the Packers to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It's unlikely that the Packers will accommodate Favre's request to be released, since he could sign with a quarterback-needy division rival like the Minnesota Vikings or Chicago Bears.

It also seems unlikely that Favre would take up the Packers on their most recent offer to serve as their backup quarterback.

So that leaves two possibilities: Favre remaining in retirement, or the Packers trading him.

Tampa is viewed as a possible landing spot for Favre not only because Buccaneers Coach Jon Gruden likes to collect quarterbacks, but also because Gruden is a former Packers assistant and runs a version of the West Coast offense that would suit Favre's skills and experience. The Buccaneers were a playoff team last season, so perhaps Favre would be willing to play for them. But they're not so imposing that the Packers would regard them as a Super Bowl lock in the NFC with Favre in the lineup.

Of course, it's the Packers who really control this situation, since they have Favre under contract. They don't have to trade him if they don't want to. They simply can stand their ground if they choose, and tell Favre that he's welcome to play for them as a backup or play for no one. Given Favre's flip-flopping on the retirement issue, public sentiment might even be on the team's side if it sticks to such a hard-line stance.

By Mark Maske |  July 13, 2008; 3:13 PM ET  | Category:  Buccaneers , Packers
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Comments

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I have always loved Brett Favre, but he is pushing it. If he comes back it should be on the Packers terms. Favre needs to get a job and stop acting like a little kid!

Posted by: humelsineswim@cox.net | July 13, 2008 3:25 PM

Obviously, Brett Favre isn't the most cerebral (ie intelligent) of people.

He's obviously foolish to think he can go out as an Elway (with a Superbowl win). a 10-3 season and losing to the Superbowl champs is damn good too, why can't he see that?

Because he's slightly retarded, especially after getting hit hundreds of times.

Posted by: Kenneth | July 13, 2008 6:20 PM

You can say what you want about Farve, but he has earned the right to compete.

Consider this: The state of Wisconsin would be up in arms if Farve had been demoted before retiring. As it stands, the Pack front office certainly isn't acting like they want him around, so I doubt they opened their arms when Farve was making his decision. So if the Packers nudged him into retirement, then they shouldnt use the fact that he did as an excuse to bench him AND keep him off the market.

I can see them not wanting him to go to a team in their division, but I certainly think they do better than backup or stay home'.

Posted by: Mattsoundworld | July 13, 2008 6:56 PM

I should add that Farve should compete, but not in DC. Yeah, Im looking at you, Danny

Posted by: Mattsoundworld | July 13, 2008 6:58 PM

i hate the packers but love favre and all because im a bucs fan from the beginning and the pack always embarassed us. i would love to see a favre for simms/garcis trade.

Posted by: sean mcveigh | July 13, 2008 9:10 PM

How can they even consider letting him ride the bench? If he returns, don't they have to pay him his contractually negotiated salary? I'm not sure what that is, but I guarantee he'd be the best paid backup in all of football.
At this point I'm betting on a trade, and Favre to the Bucs makes sense.

Posted by: Bill | July 13, 2008 9:16 PM

The last several years Mr. Favre has made it difficult for the Packers to intelligently go into the draft, not knowing if he would decide to play, or if he would decide to retire; it was a constant routine of not making a definitive decision. In this case, he made a decision, and the Packers made their plans, both draft plans and upcoming season plans, based on his definitive retirement. If Mr. Favre wanted to come back, there was more than enough time between the end of the season/his retirement announcement, for him to un-retire (since he never put in his formal retirement papers).

While I'd like to see him play, and while I believe he can still play, at a certain point the Packers have to move on and play for the future. If they are willing to pay him to be the back-up quarterback, so be it; it's their team; it's management's team, not his. The team has to do what the team thinks is best... best for the team, not for any one individual player.

My view is simple; Mr. Favre should not have announced his retirement if he didn't think he wanted to retire; and if he changed his mind, he should have said so immediately, and accept what the team's decision is as to the team's roster and line-up. I fully understand that he might have changed his mind at this late date (and not sooner) because he felt the "urge" now that training camp is days away; but if he wants to play that bad, and play for Green Bay; then he needs to accept that he'll have to play on their terms. It's not indentured servitude; it's a business, and the Packers have to make business decisions, not decisions a player - or former player - wants.

Posted by: Dungarees | July 13, 2008 11:26 PM

So what? Favre goes where he goes and that's it. Campbell is the QB I care about. As for Favre, I'll cry me a river if he doesn't get his wish to be released or traded. NOT!

Posted by: JHG_sec405 | July 14, 2008 1:22 AM

I lost respect for Farvruh when he went to the ground without contact to give Strahan the single-season sack record.

Posted by: Conscience B. Grudging | July 14, 2008 6:22 AM

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