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Vikings contacted about trade for Favre
Deal to rival still possible, source says
By BOB McGINN
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Aug. 3, 2008
Green Bay - The Green Bay Packers welcomed back quarterback Brett Favre from the reserve-retired list Sunday knowing full well that they've already taken the first step toward trading him to the Minnesota Vikings.
An executive in personnel for a National Football League team with close ties to clubs in the NFC North Division told the Journal Sentinel that the Packers called the Vikings on Friday informing them that Favre was available.
“They’ve kind of said through one of their (front-office) guys that if Favre did report they would potentially trade him within the division,” the executive said late Sunday afternoon.
The source said the conversation between officials from the two bitter rivals was brief. There was no discussion about possible compensation.
James “Bus” Cook, Favre’s agent, has not been involved in talks with the Vikings regarding a possible restructuring of his contract, according to the source.
The contact by the Packers was termed “a feeler” in the event Favre rejected the multimillion-dollar marketing and promotional agreement offered by Green Bay.
“They thought he would agree to it,” the executive said. “Evidently, he didn’t agree to it.”
The Vikings, according to the source, remain convinced that the Packers don’t want Favre on their roster in 2008.
It appears more and more as if the Vikings are the only team in the NFC North with legitimate interest in Favre. On Thursday, top officials of the Detroit Lions said they wouldn’t trade for him. In Chicago, coach Lovie Smith said he was happy with quarterbacks Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton.
“The Bears say they’re not interested,” the source said. “The Bears just kind of are what they are. I don’t see him in Detroit, either. At least the Vikings’ offense is what he’s used to. Old dogs don’t learn new tricks, especially in three weeks.”
At midweek, several NFL personnel people theorized that if Favre were traded the compensation to the Packers would be in the range of second- and fifth-round draft choices.
The source scoffed at that suggestion, indicating that the Vikings might consider parting with a fourth- or fifth-round choice but nothing more. He said no NFL team had any reason to offer Green Bay more than that because of the possibility the Packers might release him a week before the opener.
If the Vikings make a move on Favre, the source said they wanted to do so much sooner than later to prepare him for the Sept. 8 season-opening game in Green Bay.
Is it possible that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who has yet to rule on the Packers’ tampering charge against the Vikings, could play a role in ensuring that compensation coming to Green Bay would be more in keeping with Favre’s stature?
“He has no right to do that,” the source said. “He’s already carried this thing out too far. It’s kind of a joke.”
The Vikings’ starting quarterback is Tarvaris Jackson, a second-round pick in 2006 who started two games as a rookie and 12 last season. His record as a starter is 8-6.
One scout who saw the Minnesota-Kansas City scrimmage Friday night in River Falls said Jackson was sharp.
The Vikings’ offensive coordinator, Darrell Bevell, was an assistant in Green Bay from 2000-’05 and Favre’s position coach for the last three years.
Both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets have been involved in trade talks for Favre, but Favre was quoted as having said he wanted to play for an NFC North team so he could play against the Packers.
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