Report: Jets Trade For Favre

August 7, 2008 @ 12:00am

The New York Jets reportedly have traded for Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre (Getty)

The New York Jets have traded for Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre, according to Fox Sports. The Jets, who apparently outbid the Buccaneers for Favre, reportedly traded a conditional draft pick that has the chance to increase in value depending on how the Jets perform in 2008.

It appears as though Brett Favre will not be traveling from one Bay to the other.

The Green Bay Packers have traded the future Hall of Fame quarterback to the New York Jets, according to Fox Sports.

The Jets, who apparently outbid the Buccaneers for Favre, reportedly traded a conditional draft pick that has the chance to increase in value depending on how the Jets perform in 2008.

Favre, 38, retired from the NFL in March, but was reinstated on Sunday. However, after meeting with Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson, both the Packers and Favre concluded that they were at an impasse and that the best thing to do was party ways.

The fact that Green Bay refused to release him or trade him to an NFC North rival reportedly made Favre more receptive to the idea of playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets - the only two teams that the Packers ever gave permission to speak to Favre.

Despite having five quarterbacks on their roster, including Pro Bowler Jeff Garcia, the Bucs were interested in acquiring Favre, who worked with Tampa Bay head coach Jon Gruden for a total of three seasons in Green Bay.

Gruden reportedly spoke with Favre via the telephone on Tuesday evening, but on Wednesday morning Tampa Bay's head coach would neither confirm nor deny that he spoke with Favre.

The Bucs, who are $27 million under the salary cap, had the means to acquire Favre, who has a base salary of $12 million in 2008. However, the Bucs apparently weren't willing to offer the Packers as much compensation as the Jets.

A three-time league MVP and Super Bowl winner, Favre has completed 61.4 percent of his career passes for 61,655 yards and thrown 442 touchdowns and 288 interceptions.

Favre completed 66.5 percent of his passes for 4,155 yards and tossed 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions en route to leading the Packers to the NFC Championship Game and making the Pro Bowl in 2007.

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Comments

LordJim

Palantonio on ESPN said Allen was driving a hard bargain, refusing to give up a first day pick even conditionally, as the Packers were asking more from the Bucs. This is a so-so situation for the Bucs, a bad situation for Favre, bad for the Jets and good for the Packers.

It sounds like the locker room was behind Garcia; now we'll see how well they play for him. Kudos to Bruce for not giving up too much and bringing the circus to town; now we have some bridges to mend as an organization.

12:26am, August 7, 2008

bfarbs

Time to move on without any distractions with the team we have. Garcia throws less TDs but also throws less picks... Personally, I'm happy. I wouldnt have wanted to have seen the circus that would have occurred w Favre here and the distractions it would have caused the team. Our offense should improve if these young olinemen can start playing up to their potential. With those studs upfront and a solid center in Faine, we should open up gaping holes for our running backs. Combine that with a little play action and some deep balls to Galloway, our offense should be chewing up clock and minimizing turnovers.. That fits well with a defense that excels with limited snaps but wears down if on the field too long.

Cant wait for season to begin! Crossing my fingers that we can avoid injuries for rest of training camp and preseason.

12:26am, August 7, 2008

bucfan4ever

Thank God! I can't tell you how much I detested the whole idea of Favre coming to Tampa. The money it would cost, the draft picks, the complete dumping of Garcia. I just hope that Garcia's attitude towards the Bucs hasn't been damaged so badly that it affects his play.

12:29am, August 7, 2008

tallflguy

Thank the Lord that this didn't happen!! Garcia is our guy and he can take the team to the playoffs again just like last year. Now we just need make things up with Garcia with an good size contract extension. Go Bucs!!

12:42am, August 7, 2008

kennys

Now the right thing to do is give Garcia the money that the Bucs have gave him in the off season

1:03am, August 7, 2008

McGrady

With Garcia's tendancy to get injured I can see the Bucs now keeping 4 QB's on the roster and stashing Johnson on the practice squad. I can see Garcia starting, Griese being the backup, and McCown and Simms fighting for the 3rd string spot. Garcia's age would justify the Bucs now keeping 4 QB's since he won't be around more than a couple of years, and having the extra QB could lure a panicky team with QB injuries into trading a decent pick for Simms down the road.

Having said that, I think it's a slap in the face of a warrior like Garcia to have to endure the possibility of Favre being paid $12 million this year and the Bucs not able to come up with starter's money for Garcia (say at least 5 million per if not 6 million per for two seasons). Favre is far better and should have been paid for all his accomplishments but the point is the money is THERE and Jeff should be broke off with some of it. The Bucs are possibly stronger at QB than they've been in several years if they keep four and pay Garcia for 2 years.

I like the loyalty of sticking with Garcia and not giving in to the Pack of all teams. Jeff deserved better than to be just kicked to the curb and I like the decency in the Buc's decision which will show potential free agents that the team has some sense of financial responsibility even when it comes to the possibility of acquiring a legend. Pay Garcia and still stay well below the cap

1:04am, August 7, 2008

mveatch

Whoo Hooo! Now we can finally have the same QB for two years in a row. That hasn't happened since Brad Johnson. No more excuses from Gruden and Allen.

1:11am, August 7, 2008

Eddie90

the bucs are cheap, bruce culverhouse should be fired!!

2:12am, August 7, 2008

DLS5492

I am glad this thing is over. I am also glad they didn't throw Garcia under the bus. The QB situation is fine in Tampa. Now we can move on to some football.
Eddie90-
If the Bucs are cheap, why then did they make Faine the highest paid center in the NFL? Besides, you don't know what the Bucs offered. Green Bay did everything in their power to keep Favre out of the NFC.
Go Bucs!!!

2:32am, August 7, 2008

NJBuc

YES!!!! I am sooo happy we didn't get him. I echo most of the comments above so no need to be long winded. I'll be coming down from NJ for the last week of camp and the last thing I wanted was that circus.

Whoo-hoo!

6:19am, August 7, 2008

hwaii50

Good...

I love Favres game. He is a LB in a QB's body. But he is not 10 million a year better than Garcia.

good job Allen!!

6:29am, August 7, 2008

cgilmer0427

This was all about driving the price up for the Green Bay Packers. This will pay dividends in the future. :)

7:07am, August 7, 2008

Florida Native

Look at all the sheep posting above saying how glad they are the Favre deal fell through. Some are actually thanking Bruce Allen. Come on guys! I have respect for loyalty but this is ridiculous. Are you telling me the Bucs lost out on a QB who threw for 4,150 yards last year and 28TDs because we were too stubborn to even offer a conditional 3rd rounder? The best we can offer is a 4th rounder for Favre? Are you kidding me! Its not like Green Bay was expecting TWO #1 picks like we did with Keyshawn.... just offer a conditional 3rd rounder that esculates if we make it to the Super Bowl. Why is that so much to ask? What the heck are we hoping for with a 3rd rounder in next year's draft.... The Bucs are going to raise ticket prices as much as they did (I know, here he goes again) and have trouble filling the seats next year... and we had Favre WANTING to play here, and we can't close the deal? Are you kidding me! What has Allen done for us lately besides over pay for a Center in the off season? But hey, at least we still have Spleen boy and Mr Dead Man Walking. Not only has this management team blown its relationship with Garcia, it has let down an entire community that desperately needed some excitement! Ahhhhh, but at least we still have our 3rd rounder next year... maybe we'll be really lucky and sign another CB or Perhaps another back up DE? But not a 4,000 yard QB. I agree with the others, Im so glad we don't have that. The Bucs franchise deserves everything it gets this year when seats are empty! Ok, now Im a terrible fan. I know nothing about football. whatever. Let the bashing begin. But at least I'm not a sheep that would follow this management team over a cliff if they led me. I hope Garcia's calf and Galloway's groin get better soon, at least the injuries will entertain us this year.

7:46am, August 7, 2008

orlandobucsfan

Florida Native: What ever gave you the impression that Favre ever wanted to play here?! You're also assuming the Bucs could have obtained Favre for a third-rounder. If the Bucs offered a third-rounder, the Jets would likely have offered a second-rounder, and then back and forth until one team blinks. That's what the Packers wanted to happen. I for one think Bruce Allen has performed admirably and because of him, this team will be in the hunt year after year, rather than going 11-5 one year and 4-11 the next.

8:06am, August 7, 2008

epcolson

Ok I really have mixed feelings about this. I didn't want distractions for the players but wouldn't have minded one for myself...that's what football is for us...a diversion...distraction from everyday life. What some of you are calling a media circus I would have called national coverage of a team that NEVER EVer gets mentioned in the national media until we've clentched the division. I live in Atlanta and wanted to see the Bucs on TV more than 3 games this year. With Favre we would have been on national TV 2-3 times a month. That's what was in it for me. I don't know if we would have been better or not...but I would have been able to watch and we would have gotten some attention...I hope the Bucs can find a way to create some more distractions while I watch the play by play on espn.com...yeash....

8:25am, August 7, 2008

mohak10

I did want Favre to be here just so there would be a genuine buzz about our team, which is sad to say cuz we have a very good team this year. It would be truly disappointing to see RayJay not be a sellout for every game. But I wouldn't have wanted to give up more than a third rounder for Favre and it likely wouldn't have gotten it done. Oh well..... Garcia is a pro and should not let his teammates down by letting this affect his performance on the field. I never would've ever checked out the Jets' regular season schedule if it wasn't for all this. Besides, playing against NE twice a year, they have FOUR away games on the west coast in the regular season. @ SD, @ Oak, @ SF and @ Sea... Wow!

8:30am, August 7, 2008

BucsRunSht

This would have been a total madhouse and tickets would have been a nightmare to get in week 4, but you're not a fan of football if you didn't want to see his happen.

We could have been a part of history and the most talked about story in football this year.

8:32am, August 7, 2008

Jonbuc

At least it would have been interesting. Now we have to cater to a fella (Garcia) that has an inflated view of himself in terms of worth and has hurt feeelings and a 15 yard passing range (max). Allen over-played his hand. Too bad.

9:02am, August 7, 2008

Horse

Some of you guys are judging others for their opinions, as if any of yours are any better.
We have an excellent GM. In the past we have given away the bus for little gain. Yes it would have been nice to have had Farve here, but not for anything more than a four or fifth Rd pick and a couple players who were or could be starter's.
Ticket sales are down. The owners are not going to just spend the money because they have it. The one thing that bothers me more than anything is that we did not draft a QB in the 1st or 2nd Rd. It appears to me that the Bucs know that the QB is our weakest position. Yes we have a lot of seasoned players, some are past their prime, some will never make it to their prime, some never had a prime. What we have at the QB position is a big bandaid .
Go Bucs.

9:03am, August 7, 2008

gandersen

Would have been a better team with Farve and Garcia. OK, Farve is gone. Makes you think they were sitting on the high salary cap space with Farve in mind for some time. The Bucs need to spend the money. They are still very average on the offensive side. No need to put the salary cap cash in the owners pockets. Would have been a much bettter entertainment value with Farve(&Garcia). I'm sitting on six tickets. Spend the MONEY!

9:05am, August 7, 2008

Florida Native

Orlandbucsfan, you made a really good point. The Bucs were in a bidding war. But in the end, it appeared the Bucs were only willing to offer a 4th rounder for a 4,000 yard passer. What does it say to Garcia that the Bucs were interested in paying Favre $12 million, but not interested in paying Garcia just a couple million for a new contract? If you're Garcia, how can you want to play for a management team that treats players the way they do. The Bucs squeeze every since ounce of value out of mediocre players to the point they are resented for it.

We couldn't even offer a 3rd rounder? A 3rd rounder doesn't even start on the team for a year or more, and thats IF they even pan out in the NFL. Why on Earth would we not give that up to get a Brett Favre, a QB who lead his team to a 13-3 record last year? Brett Favre doesn't miss games... we could have essentially kept 3 QBs on the roster and been fine, which frees up spots for WRs or other positions we need. Also, how much would Favre have helped McCown and Johnson develop while he was here? That's worth a 3rd rounder right there! Most importantly, the fans and the Tampa Bay market would have had something memorable this year! The Buc nation would have felt like we were a respected team in the NFL and we could have used the national attention. We could barely sell out a playoff game last year, and that was only because they bought up the remaining seats themselves! Im even thinking of the benefits beyond the sports market here, but the Tampa Bay area in general would have surely benefited from the attention and excitement! ALL OF THAT IS GONE... because we're worried about giving up a 3rd rounder who has a 50/50 chance of being a BUST? Besides, signing Favre and trading Garcia would have gotten us at least a 4th-5th rounder in return.... say, from the JETS? Baltimore? Minnesota? Allen really screwed the pooch on this one. There is no believable way to spin this now. He failed miserably!

9:22am, August 7, 2008

Noleman

A source with knowledge of the talks said early this morning that if Favre plays 80 percent of the offensive snaps and the Jets make it to the Super Bowl, Green Bay will receive New York's first-round pick next April. Considering Favre's played 275 straight regular- and postseason starts, the 80-percent playing time likely won't be an issue. But the Jets are coming off a 4-12 season, and even their heartiest fans can only dream of a season that ends in an AFC Championship over the likes of New England, Indianapolis and San Diego. So it's likely the pick will be somewhere between a second- and fourth-rounder in 2009.

if Favre played 80% for Tampa, and Tampa made it to the Super Bowl... WHY WOULDN"T we give up a 1st rounder? We'd be picking 30th anyway, so its basically giving up a 2nd rounder to go to the Super Bowl? Is that too much to give? if we refuse, is this 2nd rounder going to bring us to TWO Super Bowl? I just don't get it Bruce? The Jets knew they could out bid you, and they played you like a fiddle!

9:27am, August 7, 2008

kennys

Hey Florida Native, don't forget Favre"s 15 Int's, also he is 3-7 in his last 10 playoff games and oh yeah his l;ast throw as a Packer was a INT against the Giants in the playoffs. Rhonde and Monte said whenever playing against Farve, the Bucs will have chances for turnovers, he is a gunslinger, and like clock work, he would throw 2-3 picks against the Bucs. Don't need a 39 year old QB to throw double digit INTS

9:39am, August 7, 2008

surferdudes

If we took on Brett's salary what would happen to our young core players who we need to extend soon? Guys like Rudd, P Buc, consider McCown who might want to go else where with Brett on board for the next 3 yrs. It's not just a matter of having the cap space now, there'd be a whole snow ball effect if we signed him. Here's hopeing Luke lights it up this summer, and maybe this season. Yeah Luke is no Farve yet, but we have a good group with little egos that can grow together. Let's dance with the girl we brought.

10:19am, August 7, 2008

tallflguy

Some people in here posting like Noleman and FloridaNative are classic example of the guy that has a girlfriend that is a good person and decent looking and reliable, but he would dump her in second for the hot blonde down the street not knowing the blonde is coming off a divorce, has a bad attitude and a eating disorder.

Favre had a good year last year, but everybody ignore the 3 horrible ones he had before that. Favre nearly left after the end of 2006 and that was the year that he almost broke the record for throwing the most interceptions in a season. Yes, Favre coming here would had created a media buzz and sold tickets (mostly from cheeseheads wearing there Packer jersey at home games), but like one guy said you gotta dance with the girl that brought you there in our case it's Garcia. Garcia is a probowler and he will lead the team to the playoffs again.

11:06am, August 7, 2008

pinkstob

I, like many of you, was against bringing Farve here the whole time. Some are making it like we're jumping on a band wagon, but simply never believed that Farve would make the Bucs a better team as whole by coming in this late in the preseason.

Sure he threw for over 4,000 yards, but how many net yards did he gain when you factor in all of the yards and points the opposition got after he turned the ball over. All things considered, with Garcia's ability to avoid turnovers or with McCowns arm strength, accuracy and athletic ability, either of these QB's gives us a better chance to win than Farve coming in now with no preperation with our offense and our players.

11:24am, August 7, 2008

rockit

Why do I get the feeling those of you that think Allen screwed this one up also believes Farve could come right away and learn the play book in a couple of weeks and be more productive (effective) than Garcia? Not sure I buy that one.

11:27am, August 7, 2008

tjones

i would have liked the excitement farve would have brought but if it wouldve divided the locker rm it wouldnt of been worth it. garcia wont play all year and he did have some terrible games last year he gave the detroit game away. come on luke. packers didnt want bucs to have him so im sure they through more ^%@#^# in the way.cant wait till sat.
go bucs

11:49am, August 7, 2008

bucfan4ever

And now, according to Bruce Allen, the Bucs never made an offer; Green Bay never told us what they wanted and their main intention was to make sure that no NFC team got Favre.
This was all media-spawned rock 'n roll? Hmmm......
Ripley's, are you listening?

1:12pm, August 7, 2008

orlandobucsfan

bucfan4ever: I think the point is that we have to take EVERYTHING the Bucs management/coaches/players say with a grain of salt. Additionally, we have to be even more skeptical of the media who had Bret POSITIVELY coming to Tampa as late as last night. I don't know if Bruce offered a 4th round pick or whether there was no discussion at all...none of us do. We all (including myself) form our opinions on what we see and hear combined with our own biases. At least now we can move on.

1:37pm, August 7, 2008

cpvkid

May we please close the book on Favre coming to the Bucs...Go Bucs!!!!!!

8:20pm, August 7, 2008

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