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Retired
Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre throws to an Oak
Grove High School receiver while working out at the school's
Warrior Field near Hattiesburg, Miss.
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HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Brett Favre's
agent says the three-time MVP understands he would be walking into a
media frenzy by showing up for the Green Bay Packers' training camp,
but he's willing to deal with that rather than have retirement
forced on him.
"He's prepared to deal with
it," James "Bus" Cook told The Associated Press on
Thursday. "He's ready to go back, but he can't go back until
the commissioner reinstates him."
That didn't happen Thursday. NFL
commissioner Roger Goodell is giving the Packers and Favre at least
one more day to resolve their standoff before granting the
quarterback his reinstatement.
Meanwhile, a pair of potential
solutions reportedly were emerging late Thursday night.
The Wisconsin State Journal and ESPN
reported that Favre was considering a 10-year, $20 million marketing
and licensing deal offer from the Packers — and staying retired.
And the Green Bay Press-Gazette reported the Packers and Cook were
in "serious" discussions with the New York Jets about a
trade.
The State Journal report said the
Packers' deal, which was reported by multiple media outlets after
team president and CEO Mark Murphy met with Favre and Cook in
Mississippi on Wednesday, went on the table soon after Favre retired
in March and wasn't a last-ditch attempt to pay Favre to stay away
from training camp.
General manager Ted Thompson and
other Packers officials did not immediately return telephone
messages left by The Associated Press. The Packers did not have a
public practice or media availability Thursday.
"The Packers and Brett Favre are
continuing their discussions," league officials said in a
statement. "The commissioner preferred to let those discussions
continue rather than act on the reinstatement petition today."
Once Favre is reinstated, the Packers
will have 24 hours to decide whether to cut him or restore him to
their active roster. By not acting Thursday, Goodell decreased the
chances Favre would be present at Packers training camp Friday.
Cook said Favre still wants to be
released, something the Packers have ruled out.
"If he was given his release,
there's no guarantee he'd go anywhere to play," Cook said.
"However, he'd have the freedom to choose if he should decide
to play."
Favre also could be traded —
apparently even to a division rival.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
reported Thursday that Packers officials have had internal
discussions about trading Favre to the Minnesota Vikings or Chicago
Bears as a "last resort" to resolve the smoldering
controversy.
"That's news to me,"
Vikings coach Brad Childress said Thursday. "Whatever you're
hearing, I'm not hearing."
Thompson said Monday that he would
not consider trading Favre to one of Green Bay's NFC North division
rivals.
Favre, who retired in March, filed a
letter on Tuesday requesting reinstatement from Goodell. The
commissioner has waited to approve the request in hopes that Favre
and the Packers could work out a resolution.
But that hasn't happened yet, even
after Murphy's trip to Mississippi. The Packers hold Favre's rights
until his current contract expires after the 2010 season.
It is widely believed Favre would be
willing to play for the Vikings. In filing tampering charges with
the NFL against the Vikings two weeks ago, Packers officials
expressed a belief that Vikings coaches had inappropriate contact
with Favre — and interest from the Vikings was the main reason
behind Favre's last-minute desire to return.
Favre isn't believed to have much
interest in playing for Chicago, but the most recent developments in
the Favre saga got a reaction in Bears training camp.
"I really don't know anything
about (the reports)," Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner
said. "I went back to the room after meetings, heard it, saw
it, just kind of chuckled because I have no idea where it came from.
I have no idea where those stories come from."
Turner said he didn't want to talk
about Favre because the Bears feel good about quarterbacks Rex
Grossman and Kyle Orton. But Turner acknowledged that the smoldering
controversy is hard to ignore.
"I am amazed by it," Turner
said. "You don't know where it comes from. It seems like it's
something different everyday."
Bears cornerback Nathan Vasher was
surprised to hear that the Packers might consider trading Favre
within the division.
"I had no clue," Vasher
said. "I thought that would be something they wouldn't do or
try to stay away from. As far as here, I like the guys we have
behind center right now in Kyle and Rex, and I think those guys can
definitely take us through."
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