While the Web site www.SaveBrett.net was wrong about the timing of a potential trade announcement it does appear as though the Green Bay Packers will deal Brett Favre within the next several hours.

Several media reports indicate that while the New York Jets are interested in Favre the Tampa Bay Buccaneers appear to be the likely destination for the diva/star quarterback.

Some reports indicate he will be traded for a draft pick. Fanball cited a Tampa Tribune story that I have not yet located saying Brian Griese will head north to backup Aaron Rodgers.

A move to Tampa creates a few more interesting sidenotes. First of all, Jon Gruden has accumulated an entire roster’s worth of quarterbacks including Chris Simms, Bruce Gradkowski, Griese, Luke McCown and, of course, Jeff Garcia, who had a solid season last year but who also has been upset at the Bucs’ refusal to renegotiate his contract.

I can’t imagine Garcia being happy about a Favre acquisition that would likely relegate him to the bench after he started 13 games last year. Does that put him on the block? While it’s been reported the Minnesota Vikings showed some interest in Favre, it appears as though they no longer have a shot at him. But would they be interested in Garcia as a backup/mentor to Tarvaris Jackson and as a guy who could step up if the incumbent fails to improve?

Conventional wisdom says the Vikings are only average to slightly above average quarterback play away from being a Super Bowl contender this season so the team would likely have to at least explore that option.

Meanwhile, perhaps the biggest winner in this situation will be Aaron Rodgers who, after a solid start to training camp has reportedly struggled the last few days. He’s handled the chaos pretty well but he’d probably welcome putting Favre-fest behind so he could prepare to lead his team under less of a media glare.

The Gun chipped in again this morning sending the text of a story in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Packer Insider section outlining how the relationship between the Packers and Favre unraveled. The link will only work if you are a member but if you are it’s a solid read. The nuts and bolts indicate that there is fault on both sides – Favre for being indecisive and expecting the Packers to, more or less, coddle him and listen to him on coaching hires and personnel decisions that he has no right to think he would play a role in, and the Packers for not being more upfront with Favre about the team’s desires to move forward and for not taking his March overtures about changing his mind on retiring more seriously at the time.

Another interesting nugget was that the Packers front office came to the conclusion that Favre could not win the team another Super Bowl – that his “dismal playoff record in the last decade could not be overlooked.”

And anyone who could look at the NFC Championship game objectively had to conclude that Favre looked affected by the cold. I’m not saying he didn’t have the will to win or the skills to back it up.
But Favre, once a mythic figure for his ability to overcome the frigid Lambeau winters, looked more than human. When the New York Giants defensive line started hitting him from every direction he looked like he didn’t want to be there, like his aging body didn’t have what it took to deal with the combination of the pass rush and the elements.

Favre had a great run in Green Bay. He brought the team back to the pinnacle of sports, restoring a once-proud franchise to its glory days. Even as a non-Packer fan the divorce been at times comical but also painful to watch. Hopefully the separation – a year or two in Tampa and a couple years of retirement will lead to a reduction in the hard feelings on both sides – will lead to Favre ultimately returning to Lambeau Field with his name stenciled on the walls of the stadium he helped reignite.