There are a couple of articles at PackersNews and the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel about QB Brett Favre's comments regarding WR Randy Moss.
Tom Silverstein reported that the Packers had worked out a deal that would have cost a 5th round pick and a guaranteed $3 million contract for Moss. If that deal could have been made, then the Packers should have made it, but New England came in with a high 4th round that was originally San Francisco's pick for Moss. The Packers 4th round pick was lower, so they would have had to offer a 3rd round pick. Giving up a 3rd round pick for Moss would have been a problem because if he had worked out, it was only a one year contract and the Packers would have to give him a bigger contract to keep him if he wanted to stay at all. If he hadn't worked out, then a 3rd round pick was wasted on a one year bust. Either way it would have been harder to part with a 3rd round pick in that scenario than only a 5th round pick.
Maybe Moss is done. He is about to turn 30 years old and maybe the last three down seasons isn't a case of a great player in a bad situation but a player in decline. GM Ted Thompson won't let anyone know his opinion of Moss because he can't talk about players on other teams. Done or not done is only speculation and we won't know until the end of 2007.
But I'm really not interested in the alternate Moss scenarios. What really got my attention about Favre's comments is his relationship with Packers management. Here is what Favre said:
Favre is the odd man out and Thompson wants him to retire, but he can't force him to do it. Thompson did make up for his awful 2005 season by doing very well in the 2006 draft and free agency, but 2007 resembles 2005 because he has let veterans go, he didn't sign anyone in free agency, and he reached for some draft choices. Maybe Thompson is better at making decisions than Favre and maybe what has been done over the last three free agency periods and in the draft are the best long-term decisions, but his decisions have really hurt the Packers ability to compete over the previous two seasons. He should be honest with everyone and it doesn't seem like he is honest with anyone.