Since Richie filled in for Casey and offered his opinion on the Brett Favre saga, I figured I would do the same thing. After nearly a three month hiatus, I am returning to the Sports Xtra blog forum as Q2’s “guest blogger.”
Brett Favre is without question a first ballot hall of famer and one of the most entertaining athletes the NFL has ever seen. His passion and love for the game continually made him a fan favorite. Favre holds almost all of the meaningful career records for quarterbacks and has started the last 253 regular season games he played in, making him the most durable quarterback in NFL history. At age 38, Favre’s 2007 season will go down as one of his best, but Green Bay’s season ended on a Brett Favre interception.
Now, in mid-July, Favre is contemplating un-retirement, just as he predicted he would during his retirement press conference. He has always had the desire to play on Sundays; it is the rest of the week that led to his retirement. On Sundays, Brett Favre is still one of the top quarterbacks in the game, but Packer management appears to be ready to move forward into the Aaron Rodgers era. Favre has asked for his release, which, understandably, has raised eyebrows around the sports world.
Fans and experts alike are wondering the same things: If Favre comes back, where will it be? If it’s not Green Bay, will it be the same? Is he 100 percent committed? How much does he have left? I am going to tackle these questions in reverse order, culminating with my answer to, “Where will Brett Favre play in 2008?”
How much does Brett Favre have left in the tank?
Athletically, Favre isn’t the same quarterback he was five years ago, but he is much smarter and much more careful with the ball than he was earlier in his career. He still has the arm strength to play in the West Coast offense that doesn’t ask a quarterback to make many deep throws. He still has the durability, resiliency, and competitiveness to play every Sunday. Brett Favre still has gas left in the tank, and I’m not going to say he’s on empty until we see it.
Is Favre 100 percent committed to be a starting NFL quarterback?
Simply put, I don’t think so. I said earlier that on Sundays, Favre will be there, and his team will be able to count on him. He still enjoys playing the game and will lay it all on the line to help his team win. However, he retired and said he doesn’t want to put his body through training camp and practice. That says he lacks 100 percent commitment, but one day a week, he will show up at the stadium and be ready to go.
If Favre returns to the NFL, will it be with Green Bay? If not, how will it affect his legacy?
If he returns, it should be with Green Bay, but I’m not so sure it will be. Favre and Packer management are at odds right now, making this reunion unlikely. Things can change in a hurry, though, if Aaron Rodgers struggles in training camp or goes down with a preseason injury. Green Bay is not ready to move forward with Brian Brohm as their quarterback, so Favre could hear his number called if something happens to Rodgers.
There are only a couple of other options out there for Favre: Atlanta, Baltimore, Carolina, Miami, Tampa Bay, and Washington. Minnesota is not an option. Green Bay won’t let it happen, and I honestly don’t think the Vikings are that interested. You can probably count out Atlanta and Miami if Favre wants to win. Washington looks like they’re ready to continue the Jason Campbell era, leaving Favre’s options as Baltimore, Carolina, and Tampa Bay. Of those three, Tampa Bay makes the most sense from a football standpoint. They run a West Coast offense, coach Jon Gruden collects quarterbacks, and, with Favre, are a Super Bowl contender. Unfortunately, I have to agree with Richie and say Tampa is a good fit. However, I doubt it happens. If Favre returns, it will be in Packer green and gold.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment