Favre Status Not Resolved, Return to Packers Could Be Back In Doubt
GREEN BAY, Wis.--It's unclear this morning where Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers stand after a meeting Monday night that may have lasted as long as five hours.
Fox reported on its Website that Favre still might not play for the team, after all, and the Packers might be retreating from the position of allowing him to compete with Aaron Rodgers for the starting quarterback job.
A source on another NFL team said this morning it's possible the Packers put out the word that Favre would be permitted to compete for the starting job in an attempt to increase his trade value.
Favre began meeting with Packers Coach Mike McCarthy around 6 p.m. local time (7 p.m. Eastern) on Monday and remained at Lambeau Field into the night. It appears that Packers General Manager Ted Thompson may have joined the meeting at some point, or met with Favre separately. Favre was critical of Thompson during his dispute with the team from afar in recent weeks.
Favre and McCarthy left the stadium in separate cars, without commenting to reporters, after 11 p.m. local time, although it's unclear if the meeting broke up earlier than that.
The Packers are scheduled to practice today at 2 p.m. local time (3 p.m. Eastern), and team officials have said they plan to clarify Favre's status before then. The club had scheduled a news conference with McCarthy for Monday night, but that was canceled because McCarthy and Favre still were meeting when the news conference was supposed to begin. McCarthy also canceled a scheduled meeting with the club's other quarterbacks, including Rodgers, and a full team meeting.
It had appeared that the Packers were planning to welcome back Favre when he traveled here Sunday night. A source familiar with the situation said then that the team was prepared to permit Favre to compete with Rodgers for the starting job, producing numerous reports that would be the case, and club president Mark Murphy said in a lengthy written statement that the Packers would readjust their plans to accommodate Favre's return. But McCarthy said Sunday night, following a scrimmage, that he wasn't prepared to say publicly what the situation regarding Favre would be until after meeting with the quarterback.
Favre's reinstatement by the NFL became official at midday Monday. The Packers put the quarterback, who retired in March but changed his mind in recent weeks, back on their roster later in the day and, according to the team, Favre passed his physical and conditioning test. The Packers didn't practice Monday put hundreds of fans gathered at the stadium to try to get a glimpse of the three-time NFL most valuable player.
If the Packers and Favre decided Monday night they can't work out their differences and coexist, a trade still could be a possibility. There was a report that the Packers contacted the Minnesota Vikings on Friday about a possible trade, although Vikings Coach Brad Childress denied Monday that there had been contact between the two clubs. It had been thought for weeks that Favre wanted to play in Minnesota because of his connection with Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, a former Packers quarterbacks coach. The Packers accused the Vikings of tampering for improper contact with Favre, and Favre acknowledged conversations with Childress and Bevell. But he said the Vikings were not attempting to lure him to play for them, and the league office ended its investigation Monday without punishing the Vikings.
Thompson had said earlier the Packers would not trade Favre to an NFC North team or grant Favre's earlier request to be released. The Packers received earlier trade interest by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets. Favre, at least earlier in the process, did not seem interested in playing for either team, but it's unclear if that could change. Buccaneers Coach Jon Gruden is a former Packers assistant who uses a version of the West Coast offense to which Favre probably could adapt easily.
Favre, who turns 39 in October, conceivably even could go back into retirement, although he made it clear in recent weeks that he wants to play this season and just was reinstated Monday. He and the Packers discussed a marketing deal that would pay Favre between $20 million and $25 million. Murphy met with Favre and the quarterback's agent, Bus Cook, last week at Cook's office in Hattiesburg, Miss. The offer by the Packers widely was viewed as paying him to stay retired, and Favre was said to be considering accepting it as recently as last weekend. But negotiations on that arrangement broke off when Favre traveled Sunday from Mississippi to Green Bay to report to the Packers' training camp.
By Mark Maske |
August 5, 2008; 8:20 AM ET
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Posted by: dcb | August 5, 2008 9:26 AM
Trade value is not based solely on player evaluation. If the Packers appear to have already decided they need to get rid of Favre, then they will be able to get less in the market. By letting him compete in camp, the Packers are sending the signal that if they can't trade him for acceptable value, they will just keep him. Therefore, other teams will see that they actually have to make a compelling offer for Favre or the Packers will just keep him.
Posted by: goravens | August 5, 2008 11:31 AM
This is just a complete mess. If the Packers truly believe that Aaron Rogers is their quarterback for the future, then take a stand with him and if they do not want Favre as their starting quarterback, then trade to Minnesota and let the Vikings take their stand him.
am sure Favre can still play some but let's be honest as we all saw in the NFC championship game he can also be notoriously unreliable at times and if he did play for the vikings at some point this season he would cost the Vikings a game or two due to an interception and who know it might even be against the Packers who should be able to figure out how to defend him.
Posted by: noups | August 5, 2008 11:41 AM
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How do they figure that move would increase his trade value?? I mean he's Brett Farve it's not like teams don't know what he can do. Even then he's 39 years old, he's going to play what another year maybe two at the most.I think teams have already figured out his value.