Good chance Favre will return ... but with whom?

Heatherthepackgirl

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By Pat Kirwan | NFL.com
Senior Analyst

Brett Favre coming out of retirement? What's the problem?

Bill Parcells has retired a number of times. Michael Jordan changed his mind and Favre is allowed to change his mind, too. Some fans call my radio show at Sirius to strongly suggest that they have had enough of Brett Favre and he should just stay retired. But those fans are not in the majority.

When the Favre rumors came out last week, I asked a few NFL insiders what they thought the probability was for such a scenario. The strongest statement was that there might be an 80 percent chance he would play this season. At first I felt that might have been a bit strong, but it made me start digging deeper into the possibility that No. 4 would play again.

I have talked with a few people close enough to Favre that I now feel comfortable that an 80 percent chance may be a conservative estimate. He's throwing footballs, working out and it's more than an itch to play.

Favre is a 38-year-old QB who has an 18-4 record in his last 22 games and is coming off a season in which he led the Packers offense to a No. 2 ranking in the NFL and threw for 4,155 yards and 28 touchdowns. He can still play -- he knows it and so do a number of NFL franchises just waiting to see what the Packers will do if he shows up in Green Bay for the start of training camp.

If Favre notifies the league that he is ready to play again -- and I now believe he will do just that -- the Packers will face the reality that he is headed back to Titletown. Green Bay can reassemble his locker, cut a player on the roster to make room for him, use a chunk of salary cap space for his reentry and make another run at the Super Bowl. His salary of close to $12 million immediately counts against the cap and if he were to get hurt during the summer they would be responsible for the whole nut. If he's on the opening day roster, his salary is guaranteed.

What if he shows up in late August? Do the Packers want him back? Can they afford not to let him come back? Is he tradable? Lots of questions surround this story and camp is only weeks away.
Legend in not-so-familiar uniform

Remember when the 49ers were done with Joe Montana? They got a first-round draft pick from the Kansas City Chiefs for the 36-year-old quarterback. Montana went to the Chiefs in 1993 after two seasons (1991-92) in which he barely played.
Photos ...
Off-color curtain calls

» More photos

At roughly the same age, Favre is coming off a great season. Montana never had a 4,000-yard season in his career. Most NFL people I spoke with believe Favre could easily play two more seasons -- just as Montana did when he joined the Chiefs. Montana started 25 games for Kansas City and connected for 29 touchdowns. The sentiment I got from NFL coaches, especially those who played against Favre in 2007, is that he would easily exceed the Montana production. But no one felt the Packers could get the compensation the 49ers got for Montana.

Keep in mind, Favre has some control over a trade because of the size of his contract. If a team came forward and was willing to meet the Packers' trade demands, they may still have to get Favre to renegotiate the contract and he would balk at that if the team wasn't a real playoff contender. Trading him doesn't look like a strong possibility.

Should the Packers welcome him with open arms and be proactive about his return? Some front office people feel Green Bay has no choice but to let him return. As one GM said, "This is a case where the tail will wag the dog if it wants to." A head coach said, "Ted Thompson is in a tough spot." As one former Packer put it, there's no way the Aaron Rodgers era starts -- nor should it -- if Favre wants to play.
It wouldn't be a total shock

It would not surprise me if Favre informs the Packers this week that he will report for camp and then the Packers have a decision to make. Give him his job back or release him. If the franchise truly believes it is time to move on they will release him and then the story gets interesting.

Upon his release, his large salary and multiple years left on his contract would disappear. He could wind up at another NFC North club -- and the public relations nightmare is on. If Favre throws for 4,000 yards and takes a team deep into the playoffs while the Packers struggle, it could destroy careers for those who made the decision to cut him loose.

It's not breaking news that Favre is a very competitive athlete and the Packers may be stoking a fire in his belly by not embracing his return. I caught up with two head coaches this weekend who feel Favre will not be back in Green Bay, he will not be traded and he will play at a high level in 2008 for an NFL playoff contender. It sounds like it's starting to get personal for Favre.
Rodgers era on hold?

I don't think I could let that happen if I were in Green Bay. The Rodgers era can wait, and if Rodgers doesn't understand that this issue is bigger than him that's too bad. Mike McCarthy was the best thing to happen to Brett Favre over the past two seasons and the Super Bowl is within reach with Favre. It's also within reach for other teams if Favre is on their roster.

At this point, I doubt the Packers will be celebrating the Favre retirement at the first home game, but they may be preparing to play against him sometime before the season ends. The perfect scenario is that he runs out onto Lambeau Field on Sept. 8 in his green jersey. But with Minnesota, Chicago and Tampa Bay, among others, on the schedule, it could be that Favre appears in a Green Bay game this season playing in a different jersey.
 

porky88

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I was talking with my dad about this and I came up with some teams

NFC

Every team in the NFC North is a no brainier in my opinion. They all would be good fits and they all would instantly be contenders in the NFC North or in the case of the Vikings, the entire league with Favre.

Tampa Bay - Favre is better than Garcia and Gruden respects Favre a ton.

Carolina - Favre throwing touchdowns too Steve Smith would work.

Arizona - Leinart and Warner might make it crowded but Favre would instantly make that team the favorite in the NFC West and they could easily let go of Warner and groom Leinart behind Favre.

Washington - I think it's a long shot but it's a good fit for their new offense and they become even bigger contenders than they already are.

AFC

Houston - Would fit the offense and they remind me of the Packers going into 2007. Up and coming team who could make the playoffs this year with a QB like Favre.

Baltimore - They have the defense and the running game. Add Favre and they might have one more run in them.

N.Y. Jets - They have a lot of offensive fire power and they improved their line. Add Favre and they would have a heck of an offense in my opinion. Defense would be a big question.

Buffalo - Similar too Green Bay. I bet fans would embrace him and Favre could get this team into the playoffs.

The sad thing about this is the best fit for Favre is in Green Bay. None of those teams are in better position than the Packers too make one last run.
 

Raider Pride

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The Year Of Our Lord 2012

Brett will put on his first Grey Cup Ring. He will then announce his retirement, rescind it just before traing camp, and put on his second Grey Cup Ring in 2013.

Soon to be....... The greatest QB in B.C. Lions History.
 

NFL_GEEK

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i say Ravens is the best spot if he wants to win another SB...but then again they have that Cameron over there as their OLine Coach..he totally sucked down in Miami last season...
 

Zombieslayer

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Favre is a 38-year-old QB who has an 18-4 record in his last 22 games and is coming off a season in which he led the Packers offense to a No. 2 ranking in the NFL and threw for 4,155 yards and 28 touchdowns.

Can't argue with that.

I'm thinking Bucs, Panthers, or Chiefs most likely. I hope it's the Packers, but I don't think it will happen.

80% is low? Wow. That means if this guy is correct that we can safely bet $10 on him being back.
 

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