Kellen Clemens will end up being the definition by which Tannenbaum and Mangini's drafts will truly be judged. With the exact point that you made about everything being in place, it will be on Clemens to rise to the occasion, and on the FO/CS if he does not. With that being said, I don't get warm fuzzy feelings when I think about the overall depth on the roster.
I would be very disappointed if the Jets didn't at least make a passing attempt at landing Favre. Spread the cap hit over a few years. The Jet's O would reach it's potential then.
There is no way Green Bay would consider Pennington a value to them, IMO. Having Favre on the bench for them as a mentor alone far outweighs the 3rd pick. As far as trading Pennington to any team, I'm afraid we're stuck with the "Old Maid" card. An NFL team would have to be from a different planet to not be aware of the pitfalls of starting Pennington, since every current team in the NFL knows full well how to easily game-plan against him.
Today's Star-Ledger Article On Favre - Sounds Like Some Bad Blood Brewing http://www.nj.com/sportsflash/index.ssf?/base/sports-19/1216081450318060.xml&storylist=football Brett Favre: Packers Should Let Me Play Elsewhere 7/14/2008, 11:11 p.m. EDT By CHRIS JENKINS The Associated Press MILWAUKEE (AP) ? Brett Favre finally is speaking for himself: He wants to play but doesn't feel welcome in Green Bay, so he's asking to be released. The quarterback's first substantial comments on his latest retirement decision reversal come in an interview with Fox News on "On the Record with Greta Van Susteren." "OK, you guys have a different path, fine," Favre said, recalling a June 20 conversation with Packers coach Mike McCarthy. "What does that mean for me? So that means either you give me my helmet, welcome back, or release me, or attempt to trade me. We all know that's a possibility, but way-out-there possibility. "And he says, 'Well, playing here is not an option, but we can't envision you playing with another team, you know, either.' And I thought, so basically, I'm not playing for anyone if I choose to come back." According to Van Susteren, who spoke to the AP by telephone Monday afternoon, Favre said he was "never fully committed" to retiring and felt pressured by the Packers to make a decision, a notion Packers general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy tried to dispel in an interview with the AP on Saturday. "Ted always wanted Brett back," McCarthy said. "We always wanted Brett back." The team had no immediate reaction to Favre's interview Monday. "We currently have nothing to add on this matter," a team spokesman said. Favre told Fox he understands that the Packers want to move on ? but if they're doing so, they should let him go. "Them moving on does not bother me," Favre said. "It doesn't. I totally understand that. By me retiring March 3, I knew that could possibly happen. All I was saying is, you know, I'm thinking about playing again." Favre said he has thought about the ramifications of playing for another team, moving to another city, and angering some Packers fans. "You know, the bottom line is, I may not play anywhere," Favre said. "But we have thought of all those things. We have thought about it." Van Susteren ? who is from Appleton, Wis., is a Packers shareholder and previously had interviewed Favre and his wife, Deanna ? said Favre made it clear he would not return to the Packers if he wasn't the starter. And while Favre said the Packers asked him for a list of teams to which he would accept a trade, he wants to be released to make sure he ends up on a competitive club. Thompson said the team wasn't going to release Favre, but he could come back in a "different role than he was" because the team is committed to going forward with Aaron Rodgers. "You're telling me playing there is not an option, but playing elsewhere, we just can't ? we're trying to protect your legacy," Favre said. "Well, thank you. I appreciate that. But apparently now, they're trying to protect my legacy by bringing me back and having me be a backup. Boy, that is really good." Thompson and McCarthy wouldn't discuss the possibility of trading Favre and said they hadn't received any trade inquiries as of Saturday. Thompson and McCarthy gave AP a detailed description of their dealings with Favre throughout the offseason, including an episode a few weeks after Favre's retirement where the two were prepared to fly to Mississippi to seal the deal on a Favre comeback ? only to have the quarterback change his mind again. In the interview, Favre said the Packers were being dishonest, although he did not point out specific examples in the portion of the interview aired Monday. A second segment is scheduled to air Tuesday. "If you move on, you tell me one thing, don't come back and tell the public ... just say it, 'You know, we've moved on and we'll work with Brett on whatever it is,'" Favre said. "Don't make up a lot of stuff or give half of the truth." McCarthy and Thompson also expressed concern Saturday that Favre spent most of the offseason questioning whether he still had the commitment to play football. But Favre told Fox News it wasn't going to be an issue. "If I'm going to play it's going to be 100 percent commitment," Favre said. Favre's interview ? which was receiving top billing over an interview with presidential candidate John McCain in promos for Van Susteren's show that aired during the day Monday ? is the latest development in what is looking more and more like an irreparable schism between one of the NFL's most storied franchises and perhaps its most beloved quarterback. Thompson called the situation "gut-wrenching" Saturday. "I mean, it hurts," he said. "I'm not talking about physically hurting, but the sensitivity. We understand where the fans are coming from. This is a hot-button issue that surpasses anything I've ever gone through."
The best of the best. If I remember correctly, there was a quarterback by the name of Warren Moon. Late in his career, he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings after the season, where he passed for over 4,200 yards in each of his first two seasons, and for 33 TD's in '95, but missed half of the 1996 season with a broken collarbone. Let's get this deal done and bring in Fav-Re. One year, two years, three?? I don't care. I want W's!!! Call me selfish...
You guys are overrating Favre IMO. He had 18 TDs and 18 INTS two years ago & 20 TDs & 27 INTs the year before that. Yes, he was great last year, but he throws a lot of costly picks (as evidenced by the NFC Championship Game and the playoff game vs. the Eagles a couple of years ago, when he basically threw one up just for the hec of it in a key spot, thereby costing his teamt he game)
Yeah, I'm glad somebody finally had the guts to come out and say this. I can remember a very different Favre than the one we saw last year. Was last year a fluke? And now that he's older, he's more of a gamble than he was in his prime. I'm not for bringing him in. Save the pick, save the Cap space (we're going to need it to resign all this other talent) and work with Clemens and Ainge with Chad as the mentor/instructor/chief towel waver.
I think you're underrating him. I've already said it a couple of times in this thread, but I'll say it again. McCarthy came to the Packers 2 years ago and helped Favre harness his skills and stop making so many stupid mistakes that he had made in previous years. What we saw in Favre the past couple of years was a guy playing smarter, and relying on his team mates more. That's not something he should forget how to do without McCarthy around. As for the pick, yeah it was stupid, but the Packers aren't in OT for the NFC championship without Favres outstanding play throughout the season. Those types of mistakes occurred much less frequently the past couple of years. Tom Brady didn't fare much better against that Giants defense.
And then Vilma plays where in their defense. They have one of the best young LB corps in the league. They would want Vilma and more. Considering we aren't getting Favre, I'm glad we got what we did for Vilma.
I don't think trading Vilma was a mistake...i think what we traded him "for" was a mistake....i know he came off knee surgery...but i think the Saints raped us with that trade.
We are getting two picks for a player who for the rest of his career may be in and out of games due to that knee. If he recovers fully and doesn't miss a beat we get a 2nd pick. If he does poorly, we get a 4th. If he does do poorly, then his career will never be what it was with the Jets, and that means his best years were played here. But since Vilma was the Man of the Defense since his rookie season, I can't root against him.
Vilma I still think our linebackers should do fine without him. The saints need more help then us even if they did go 7-9.
Vilma, although I loved him and he played with a lot of heart, was too small and a poor fit. The LBs we've got now are a HUGE upgrade.
I like to watch the Jets win. Because of that, I want them to get Brett Favre. He's a massive upgrade on the quarterback position, which is a pretty important spot on a roster. Do what it takes to get him, please. I want to win.
