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Despite tearfully announcing his retirement from the Green Bay Packers this month, Brett Favre has not filed his retirement papers with the league.
That doesn’t mean he’s planning to play this year (at least, we don’t think it means he’s planning to play this year), but it does mean that the $11.4 million Favre was scheduled to make is, for now, counting toward the Packers’ 2008 salary cap. But the Packers don’t seem concerned about that.
“We don’t need the cap room,” General Manager Ted Thompson told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
The Packers have more than $20 million in cap space available, meaning that even if they were to make a surprisingly big deal with one of the few free agents remaining around the league, they’d still have enough space to sign their draft picks even if Favre doesn’t officially come off their books until the summer.
If Favre does come off the books soon, the Packers could move ahead of Tampa Bay for the league lead in cap space available. That’s a sign that the team has managed its cap well, although some fans may wonder if it’s also a sign that the team hasn’t been aggressive enough in signing players for the post-Favre era.
March 25th, 2008 at 10:04 am
unfortunately the fans who dont understand the prudence of cap management and always want to sign the loudest mouth free agent are usually the radio talk jockeys who then tell the casual fan what to believe.
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Rating: 2.8 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
March 25th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Brett sounds sincere about retirement, but I’m not going to believe he’s done until week 1 when he doesn’t play. Then I fully expect him to make a comeback. I think Brett fully intends to retire, I just don’t think he’ll be able to handle still being able to play, but sitting at home.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
March 25th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Brett who? Never heard of him.
If he comes back, I nominate him for drama queen of the century. Again.
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Rating: 2.5 / 5 with 8 rating(s)
March 25th, 2008 at 11:48 am
i agree eazye, i obviously don’t know him personally but he seems like the type you will have to carry off the field before he will quit. it seems as longs as he can run and have a throwing motion in his right arm, he’s gonna try and be on the field.
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March 25th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
I’ve been a Packer fan for 35 years and one thing I’ve learned about Favre is that he does love attention and be coddled to some degree. He gives this impression of being a complete country bumpkin, but he’s sly as a fox…….
Those papers will be signed as soon as the media starts making a big deal about it.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
March 25th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Perhaps he’s waiting for Aaron Rogers to get hurt again and for the team to ask him to come back. Just a thought.
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March 25th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
I think the Packer’s asked him to hold out on it until June 2nd so the cap money rolls into next year. Otherwise they will have to spend it this year to get to the minimum spending limit.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
March 25th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
What I find interesting is that many fans in WI are critizing Thompson for the cap room that he has because they feel he didnt to enough while Favre was still around. In reality its just the opposite, we are very very lucky to have the cap room now that Favre is gone to help us rebuild. Perfect example of what not to do…The Cowboys went through “Cap Hell” when Aikman retired and that set them back several years…not to mention the owner as GM, President, Head Coach, etc.
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March 25th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
The fact that we have so much unused cap space is the major reason Favre did NOT come back for another year. This is the second year in a row, that the Packers made zero effort to build around Brett, and at 38 years old, Brett didn’t need the headaches and unpredictability of another unguaranteed season.
Sure there are no guarantees, just ask the Patriots, but at least the Pats did what they could, and left it up to the team. The Packers are still building for 2010, and any NFC championship games are gravy for Ted, not a sign that they’re practically there.
Good luck Brett, we wish you well…
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March 25th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
the minimum salary cap theory sounds good, but doesn’t hold water. I don’t think there is much unamortized bonus left anyway. And you can select 2 players to release to spread the cap hit out over two years even before June 1.
No, this is Favre being Favre. Wanting some more media attention, and wanting to be coddled and begged just a little more.
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March 25th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
The Packers are building a team through the draft and not free agency. I completely agree with Thompson’s approach to this. Just because there’s cap maoney available doesn’t mean it needs to be spent. I think its more prudent to develop your young players and then spend that money on them when the time comes. If there is a specific need that has to be filled and the right player is out there, Thompson will spend the money…he did so with Charles Woodson and that worked out.
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March 25th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
So if you build a team ONLY through the draft, what do you do when you’re 13-3, and one OT away from the SB? Rely on a late first round draft pick to put you over the top? When you’re THAT close, and you have THAT much cap space, logic dictates you purchase a free agent.
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March 26th, 2008 at 10:11 am
I disgaree from this standpoint:
Again, just because you have the money doesn’t mean you spend it right away. To me, logic also says that you don’t throw away money on a free agent just because you can.(just ask Redskin fans) If the right player is available and he can help the team, Thompson will spend the money ie: Woodson, Picket & Chillar.
There was no other FA that I would of spent a dime on this year. Look at the all the young players that helped the packers this year, in particular Bigby and Grant. If these players continue to improve they will command huge salaries down the road and we’ll need that cap money to sign them. There are players like that at every position. Its a big balancing act and instead of selling your future on high priced FA, the Packers are betting on their young talent.
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March 26th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
I agree with MVP 100%. And for those who say Favre just loves the attention, get real. Just because the media makes a big deal about the guy doesn’t mean he is searching for it. You don’t see Brett Favre in every commercial like Payton Manning or doing thing just to get attention. In fact, he does things that don’t get enough attention such as the Brett Farve Fourward Foundation. He and his wife hold a charity softball game every year in Appleton, and he constantly worked with the make a wish foundation throughout his career to brighten the lives of the less fortunate.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
May 28th, 2008 at 12:14 am
The Green Bay Packers feel like family to us here in Green Bay ,WI and Brett was a part of that. The game will be quite different without him. He is a down to earth guy never acting like a ham. My 15 yr old son and I would be pleased if Brett came back. We knew brett how he played we have faith in him. Alot of players have changed and alot we know well like Donald and Tausier. Brett is the quarterback I have watched and followed most with my son. I support him. I understand if he wants to take a step back/a break. We need to not pressure him, we need to give him his space. It would make alot of people happy to have him back. His retirement is not easy to accept fully, it hasn’t sunk in. We will miss you Brett. You gave us your all and your best. We appreciate it.
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