What would the Packers have done?

[Patler]

A little what if to pass the time:

Assume that after the close call in 2007, Favre immediately said; "This team is close. I love it here. I want to play as long as I am able to, and I will be back in 2008 for sure." Then, assume he followed that up each season until now.

What would the Packers have done in 2008?
What about 2009?
Or this season?

[Tarlam!]

Well, I'm on record as saying I think TT and M3 had had enough of Bert and engineered it so that he would exit. I stand by that. I think they knew what they had in Rodgers and they knew they had to move. Another motivation - if they indeed, needed one.

[Patler]

Well, I'm on record as saying I think TT and M3 had had enough of Bert and engineered it so that he would exit. I stand by that. I think they knew what they had in Rodgers and they knew they had to move. Another motivation - if they indeed, needed one.

So what would they have done in 2008?
Traded him?
Started the season with him, but played Rodgers at any/every opportunity?
Benched him?

If they had made the decision to move on to Rodgers, how would they have handled Favre?

[Tarlam!]

Exactly as they did. They would have opened up the position to competition. Which is exactly what they did when Bert flip flopped. The reaction was predictable.

At least, that's how I have always seen it. They knew what they had in both QBs. They dealt with it like pros.

[Patler]

Exactly as they did. They would have opened up the position to competition. Which is exactly what they did when Bert flip flopped. The reaction was predictable.

At least, that's how I have always seen it. They knew what they had in both QBs. They dealt with it like pros.

You might be right, but that would have been real difficult. After all, Favre had a very good season in '07. How would they justify opening it up to competition if Favre had been committed to returning in '08?

I tend to think they would have given Favre another year, but would not have hesitated to use Rodgers at every opportunity. Every decent lead, every injury to Favre no matter how slight would have been used as an opportunity to play Rodgers. Then, if Favre was having an "off" day, in would come Rodgers again.

I tend to think it would have been a messy season.

Favre did them a favor by forcing their hand, I think.

[Brandon494]

Its no way they would have benched or traded Favre IF he was committed and said he was coming back for sure. They just got tired of the same shit he is doing right now and had to make a move. People can blame TT and MM all they want but Favre brought it on himself.

[get louder at lambeau]

Its no way they would have benched or traded Favre IF he was committed and said he was coming back for sure. They just got tired of the same shit he is doing right now and had to make a move. People can blame TT and MM all they want but Favre brought it on himself.

Yup. He could have stayed as long as he wanted, as long as he was an effective QB. So far he still is.

[ThunderDan]

Re: What would the Packers have done?

A little what if to pass the time:

Assume that after the close call in 2007, Favre immediately said; "This team is close. I love it here. I want to play as long as I am able to, and I will be back in 2008 for sure." Then, assume he followed that up each season until now.

What would the Packers have done in 2008?
What about 2009?
Or this season?

That's a great couple of questions.

I don't see how they could have benched Favre in 2008. So you either had to trade him or play him. At that point there is no way TT and MM could have dumped Favre without major repercusions. He was still the teams icon and had not really done anything to really alienate the fans. So Favre starts in 2008 and ARod rides the pine. The Packers would have had the same record in 2008. Arod would get the lead time after time in the 4th Q only to have the D give it back up.

If Favre played like he did in 2009 for MN as the GB QB you have to think that we could have made the Super Bowl. MN would have been starting TJack or Sage and the Packers split if not take both games.

In 2010 we would have Favre, Flynn and Harrell. ARod would have jumped to find a place to play. Maybe just Flynn, Harrell and McNabb or someother QB as BF would have retired if we made the Super Bowl after the 2009 season.

[bobblehead]

Absolutely no question in my mind that if Bert played each year as well as he did in '07 he would still be our QB right now. MM and TT know that you only have a 4-6 year window to win in an organization before they move on, and no way would they have replaced a QB who played very good.

This is all assuming he did the minimum off season work they demanded, which is what ultimately sunk him in '08....he tried to play it so he could do nothing until camp started and TT and MM punked him.

[mraynrand]

I think they would have traded Arod to Jacksonville, along with their #30 draft pick to move up and grab Derrick Harvey.

[Fritz]

This is a good question. My guess would be they'd have played Favre in '08. The real decision would have come in '09. What to do?

Sign Arod to a big extension (if he'd accept) knowing he was your backup QB for the next year....or two....or three?

Trade one? Which one? The proven vet whose time might be winding down, but who is a legend in your organization? The very face of it? Or trade the young unproven guy, knowing he might become a superstar (since you'd had him in camp for a couple years) and you'd have no one to come in when Favre left?

I'm glad I'm not MM and TT.

And in fact, Patler, you are probably right - Favre did them a favre. But my guess is they'd preferred that he'd done it one year later.

[Pugger]

If memory serves Favre was slated to be our starting QB in 2008 after the conference championship game, right? If he had said right away the team was close (and it sure as hell was!) and he was eager to come back he would have been our starter. I believe it was Favre who wanted out of GB. Why else would a QB near the end of his career want to leave a team that just weeks ago was playing for a Super Bowl berth? I don't buy for one moment that TT and MM pushed him out the door. No GM or HC would bench their HOF QB after the season #4 had in 2007! I will say that once #4 "retired" the Packers took him at his word and passed the torch to Rodgers. Had Favre stayed as our starter I agree Rodgers would have played if Favre got hurt or we had a big lead (or were really getting beat badly).

[Brandon494]

For what its worth I'm glad how it worked out minus Favre playing for the damn Vikings. Rodgers will be the best QB in the league in 3-4 years imo.

[Tarlam!]

I don't buy for one moment that TT and MM pushed him out the door. No GM or HC would bench their HOF QB after the season #4 had in 2007! I will say that once #4 "retired" the Packers took him at his word and passed the torch to Rodgers. Had Favre stayed as our starter I agree Rodgers would have played if Favre got hurt or we had a big lead (or were really getting beat badly).

See, I honestly disagree. M3 and TT knew what they had in Rodgers, though nobody else did. They knew what they had in Bert, I mean the crappy side that we all got to know later. The side Chilly now has to deal with, the one that got what'shisface fired in NY.

They basically forced him out the door. Anyone remember the locker gift and 20 million severence package?

[Patler]

Its no way they would have benched or traded Favre IF he was committed and said he was coming back for sure. They just got tired of the same shit he is doing right now and had to make a move. People can blame TT and MM all they want but Favre brought it on himself.

Yup. He could have stayed as long as he wanted, as long as he was an effective QB. So far he still is.

But what would they have done with Rodgers?

Personally, I think they had decided that Favre could no longer take them all the way, and they would have found some way to make the transition, but it might have taken two seasons to complete.

They would have played Rodgers enough in 2008 to start a controversy, if he was at all effective, so they could have opened it up in 2009.