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The Brett Favre dilemma

Talk about a no-win situation. Is there any possible way that everyone involved in the latest Brett Favre un-retirement can come out not smelling like shit? The scenarios all have a loser and none of them have a real winner. What do i think they should do? Well my answer’s one that either I haven’t heard or that I’m the only one thinking this way: If (read: when) Brett Favre decides to un-retire and wants to play again, the Packers should do what’s in their best interest — bench or suspend Favre.

WHAT?!?! They can’t bench a legend like Favre!

Why not? Favre retired months ago and the Packers have moved on. They’ve drafted to build Aaron Rodgers, signed free agents to fit their non-Favre-related needs and have reworked their entire playbook and style to complement Rodger’s strengths which are quite different than Favre’s.

Anyway you slice it in other scenario the outcome hurts someone. You bring back Favre and then you’re undermining Aaron Rodgers, who in turn won’t even think about looking back the second he can escape and Green Bay hurts because of the work they’ve done to move on. Every strategic move to cater to Rodgers would have to be undone.

At this point it would be impossible to trade Favre. Who would want to give up any asset when they know the Packers will eventually release him? At best don’t you think a team would offer a fifth-round pick? What kind of quality return is that for Green Bay?

So they can release him but what good would that do? He’d be free to sign anywhere and don’t think that Favre would think twice about endorsing a contract from Minnesota — who, if they could get Brett, may be a top-3 contender in the NFC — or Chicago, whose QB situation is notoriously awful. When Brett has that itch, it’s quite conceivable that he don’t care where he suits up.

Now, here’s where everyone else (like SI’s Peter King) neglected to mention my idea: Keep him and don’t play him. I don’t care how mad he gets, how much he and his agent will huff and puff. He retired; the team moved on and he didn’t. And, best of all, he can’t go to either of the Packers’ rivals. Green Bay has the cap room to hold onto him so why not? The worst case scenario is that they get some egg on their faces when Favre claims the franchise screwed him over in his final year. Not exactly a horrible price to pay.

In the end, everyone remembers the good seasons they got from legends, not the painful extents some goto to extend their playing careers (good list here). But why would anyone want to be on that list? Favre should do the humane thing and sit it out at home. At least until ESPN, Fox or CBS comes calling with a studio gig or a coaching job opens up.

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