Thursday, August 07, 2008
Brett Favre - Is it Really Over?
This morning, the Green Bay Packers traded future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre to the New York Jets for a conditional 4th round draft pick. The condition is that if Brett, who started 275 straight games including playoffs in a streak that is still current, takes 50% of the snaps at quarterback for the jets, the Packers will get a 3rd round pick. If Brett, who has won 160 games as a starting quarterback, which is an average of 10 per year, takes 70% and the Jets make the playoffs, then the Packers get a 2nd and if Brett takes 80% of the snaps and the Jets make the Super Bowl, win or lose, the Packers get a 1st. The other condition is that if the Jets trade Brett to the Minnesota Vikings, then the Packers get 4 first round picks. It would seem from this that the saga is over, but don't bet on it.
Initially, Brett announced his retirement and it appeared that there was going to be a 2013 Hall of Fame class that featured four of the really good guys in football. Following Brett's announcement were retirement announcements from Warren Sapp, Jonathan Ogden and Steve McNair, all HOF worthy men who, in five years, could have gone in together. The announcement of the retirement signaled the beginning of the Aaron Rodgers era. Rodgers was a 2005 first round pick who at the end of the 2005 season, was expecting to take over the Packers' starting quarterback position, at least until Brett decided to return for "one more year".
2006 led to another year in 2007, with Aaron waiting for Brett, who never missed games, to retire or get injured so that he could play. With Rodgers nearing the end of his first contract, a five year deal that he signed out of college, the time was now for Rodgers to take the reigns of the Packers, especially with the Packers drafting two more quarterbacks, Louisville's Brian Brohm in the second round and LSU's Matt Flynn in round seven. Someone needed to be sacrificed in order to ease the glut that the Packers had at quarterback, and the old guy seemed to be the likely choice.
It makes perfect sense for the Packers to draft two quarterbacks if they are sure that Brett Favre is retiring, but with his history of returning, after 2005, 2006 and now after 2007, then why would they create the logjam that they currently have, especially when Randy Moss could have been had from the Raiders for Rodgers. It seems that there is more to the story than meets the eye.
Aaron Rodgers was dubbed the future of the franchise the minute that he was drafted. He was signed to a five year deal and the 2008 season marks year four of the deal. It would seem that the Packers would not really care if he ever started because without playing time, he can never reach the incentives and thus they save money. However, if he never plays, then he doesn't resign when his contract is up, and then the Packers have no backup who is ready to step in. But is Rodgers really ready if Brett never got out of the way except during preseason? Probably not, but if he never gets to play, they also cannot get any value for him in a potential trade, so the only way that the Packers can determine Rodgers' worth is to let him play, and the only way to do this is if Favre is gone.
So thus we have the dilemma that seemingly was just resolved this morning with the trade of Favre to the Jets. Favre is gone and Rodgers is the starter, provided that he is not outplayed by Brohm or Flynn in the exhibition games. Now wouldn't THAT be the ultimate "I told you so" from Brett Favre to the Packers?
This morning, the Green Bay Packers traded future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre to the New York Jets for a conditional 4th round draft pick. The condition is that if Brett, who started 275 straight games including playoffs in a streak that is still current, takes 50% of the snaps at quarterback for the jets, the Packers will get a 3rd round pick. If Brett, who has won 160 games as a starting quarterback, which is an average of 10 per year, takes 70% and the Jets make the playoffs, then the Packers get a 2nd and if Brett takes 80% of the snaps and the Jets make the Super Bowl, win or lose, the Packers get a 1st. The other condition is that if the Jets trade Brett to the Minnesota Vikings, then the Packers get 4 first round picks. It would seem from this that the saga is over, but don't bet on it.
Initially, Brett announced his retirement and it appeared that there was going to be a 2013 Hall of Fame class that featured four of the really good guys in football. Following Brett's announcement were retirement announcements from Warren Sapp, Jonathan Ogden and Steve McNair, all HOF worthy men who, in five years, could have gone in together. The announcement of the retirement signaled the beginning of the Aaron Rodgers era. Rodgers was a 2005 first round pick who at the end of the 2005 season, was expecting to take over the Packers' starting quarterback position, at least until Brett decided to return for "one more year".
2006 led to another year in 2007, with Aaron waiting for Brett, who never missed games, to retire or get injured so that he could play. With Rodgers nearing the end of his first contract, a five year deal that he signed out of college, the time was now for Rodgers to take the reigns of the Packers, especially with the Packers drafting two more quarterbacks, Louisville's Brian Brohm in the second round and LSU's Matt Flynn in round seven. Someone needed to be sacrificed in order to ease the glut that the Packers had at quarterback, and the old guy seemed to be the likely choice.
It makes perfect sense for the Packers to draft two quarterbacks if they are sure that Brett Favre is retiring, but with his history of returning, after 2005, 2006 and now after 2007, then why would they create the logjam that they currently have, especially when Randy Moss could have been had from the Raiders for Rodgers. It seems that there is more to the story than meets the eye.
Aaron Rodgers was dubbed the future of the franchise the minute that he was drafted. He was signed to a five year deal and the 2008 season marks year four of the deal. It would seem that the Packers would not really care if he ever started because without playing time, he can never reach the incentives and thus they save money. However, if he never plays, then he doesn't resign when his contract is up, and then the Packers have no backup who is ready to step in. But is Rodgers really ready if Brett never got out of the way except during preseason? Probably not, but if he never gets to play, they also cannot get any value for him in a potential trade, so the only way that the Packers can determine Rodgers' worth is to let him play, and the only way to do this is if Favre is gone.
So thus we have the dilemma that seemingly was just resolved this morning with the trade of Favre to the Jets. Favre is gone and Rodgers is the starter, provided that he is not outplayed by Brohm or Flynn in the exhibition games. Now wouldn't THAT be the ultimate "I told you so" from Brett Favre to the Packers?
