Favre Becomes Jets' New QB
Brett Favre has been nothing short of an icon with the Green Bay Packers during his 16 years under center with the organization. Green Bay is where he played all but two if his 257 career NFL games and recorded numerous achievements of his Hall of Fame-caliber career, including a Super Bowl victory in 1997.
A tumultous summer has brought that all to an end. A reversal in his decision to retire wasn’t met with the open arms Favre likely expected from the decision makers in Green Bay. And after about a month of trying to call each others’ bluff, the Packers decided to remain on course with the plans enacted when Favre originally chose to leave the game and allow Favre to continue his career somewhere else. They traded No. 4 to the New York Jets for a conditional draft pick that ranges from a fourth round selection to one in the first round depending how much Favre plays and how deep he leads the team during the 2009 campaign.
It’s weird to see Favre playing somewhere outside of Green Bay, but the Packers made the right decision. The only right course of action was to keep the ball in new starting quarterback Aaron Rogers’ hands and allow Favre, who head coach Mike McCarthy believes couldn’t move past his perceived betrayal by the Packers organization, to lengthen his legacy with another team.
New York also made a smart decision. Draft picks are building blocks in the NFL perhaps more than they are in any other North American professional sports league, and the Jets may possibly lose one in the early rounds of the 2009 draft. However, they took a chance to acquire one of the best QBs to ever step on a football field and enhance their position of greatest need.
Plus, the draft pick trade off is very reasonable for the Jets. Here is the breakdown accoring to NFL.com:
- The draft pick begins as a fourth round selection
- If Favre takes part in 50 percent of the Jets plays, the selection bumps up to the third round
- Green Bay received a second round pick if Favre takes 70 percent of the snaps and the Jets make the playoffs
- A Super Bowl appearance and Favre’s participation in 80 percent in the team’s plays will grant the Packers the Jets’ first round pick
- If the Jets deal Favre to any of the Packers’ NFC North rivals, including the Minnesota Vikings, they will owe Green Bay three first round draft picks
I think if Favre can help lead the Jets to a Super Bowl appearance, win or lose, they will have little problem handing over their first round pick to the Packers.
But that’s easier said than done. After all, Favre joins a team that went 4-12 last year and took great pains to bring greater resources to the Meadowlands. Specifically, new additions on the offensive line in guards Alan Faneca and Damien Woody will aid Favre in trying to turn the ship around. And the competitiveness in the AFC isn’t going to make their job any easier. A playoff spot is far from guaranteed and probably still unexpected for New York.
But I still applaud the Jets push to acquire one of the few QBs available that has the ability to lead a huge turnaround. Chad Pennington, who was subsequently released, and Kellon Clemens don’t give New York the same chances that Favre does. They had to put a bit on the line to move ahead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the race for Favre, but it’s one they can’t be knocked for taking.
Despite this sour ending to the relationship between Favre and Green Bay, there is a mutual understanding that Favre would like to rejoin the Packers organization in some capacity following his retirement. After all, he might spend a year (or knowing him two, three or more years) playing with the Jets. But, at heart, he is and will forever be a Green Bay Packer. That should offer some consolation to fans that invested so much into No. 4.
