NFL Offseason Storylines

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There may not be any meaningful football until September, but the NFL never takes a break.

The combine is just a week away and free agency starts soon after that.

Let’s take a look at the five key storylines that we’ll be focused on this offseason.

5. Tim Tebow

The most decorated collegiate athlete of recent memory is already the most heavily debated and scrutinized prospect of all time.  Will the home town Jaguars take a chance on him early or will he slip into the later rounds?  Get ready for a heavy dose of Tebow coverage next week at the combine where his throwing motion will be torn apart like  and the scouts will doubt his ability to play quarterback at the next level.  However, it only takes one team to take a chance on him, so I don’t think he makes it out of round two.

4. Brett Favre

The old gunslinger may be 40, but he can still play.  Coming off his best statistical season in years, it would be hard to see Favre walk away especially when the Vikings were so close to the Super Bowl.  He’ll likely stretch the process out as long as possible so get ready to see Rachel Nicholls camped out on Favre’s ranch in Mississippi all summer long.  In the end, I think we’ll be seeing number four come September.

3. Eagles QB Situation

Many teams struggle to find one decent quarterback.  The Eagles have three and now they have some tough decisions upcoming.  Do they trade Michael Vick?  Extend Kevin Kolb? Trade Kevin Kolb?  Do they trade McNabb?  With a bevy of options at hand, it will be intriguing to see how the Eagles handle this.  I don’t think Kolb is going anywhere so that leaves McNabb and Vick.  Vick is more likely to get traded with a $5.25 million bonus upcoming, but if a team, possibly the Cardinals or Vikings (if Favre’s gone), offers a first round pick it may be tough to turn down with Kolb waiting in the wings. 

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Brett Favre Blows It, Throws Another Interception

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With the game in the hands of Brett Favre, the old gunslinger did what he does best: throwing it across his body into the middle of the field where it predictably intercepted.  The Saints ran out the clock, won the toss and Favre never touched the ball again.

But hey, he was just trying to make a play out there just like he did when he was kid growing up in Mississippi.

Unfortunately some fans didn’t take the interception that well.

This Vikings fan probably cried himself to sleep last night:

This guy isn’t even a Vikings fan.  He’s a Redskins fan, he had enough to be upset about this year, and even he couldn’t take it:

Brett Favre System

ESPN has been shoving Brett Favre down our throats for the past few months and by now most of us can’t stand the guy.  But it appears now that they have realized that fact and are taking a different approach.

Of all the attempts made to poke fun at Brett Favre and his always changing mind the world wide leader has taken the cake.

In their newest addition to their “This is SportsCenter” commercial series ESPN struck comedic gold.

So sit back and just enjoy the brief yet hilarious spoof.

Brett Favre to stay Retired, What it means for the Vikings

It looks like we'll never get to see Brett in purple.

If for some reason you haven’t heard already Brett Favre is re retiring and will not play for the Vikings this year… we think.  Well, we hope.

After all the media hype Brett pulled the plug at the last minute when everyone thought it was a slam dunk he was coming back.

Well at least we won’t have to listen to and read about what Brett Favre ate for breakfast anymore on ESPN.

On a football related note I don’t think it has much of an affect on the Vikings.  Sure Brett Favre at quarterback sounds a lot better that Sage Rosenfels or Tavaris Jackson but as we witnessed last year Favre has lost a step.  He doesn’t have the same zip he used have on ball and can’t make all the throws he used to and combined with his still intact gunslinger mentality it didn’t make for a good match.

The Vikings are built to run the ball and control the clock and Favre isn’t built for that.  His predilection to force the ball and take unnecessary chances is not what the Vikings offense needed.

Either Rosenfels or Jackson is better suited for the role.  This team did win a division title with Jackson as it’s quarterback last year so it’s not like they can’t do it again.

Favre Doesn’t Want Surgery

Yesterday the Saint Paul Pioneer Press reported that Brett Favre was scheduled to meet with Dr. James Andrews and expected to have surgery on his torn bicep and after a 6-8 week rehabilitation sign with the Vikings.  Well like there has been before in the Brett Favre retirement saga there is another contradictory report.

ESPN’s Ed Werder, citing a unnamed source, reported that Brett Favre will not meet with Dr. James Andrews today and is not considering surgery at this time.  He also said that Favre met with Andrews last week and discussed surgical and non surgical options.   Favre has decided to try cortisone injections, bicep curls, and light throwing and hop that it causes the tendon to release naturally.  If that happens and the pain decreases then Favre will almost certainly play again according to the source.  If the pain doesn’t go away or he opts for surgery and loses arm strength he will likely stay retired.  Either way Werder expects a resolution soon with Favre losing patience.

These recent conflicting reports have left in the same position we have been in for the past coupe of weeks.  We’ll probably get a new set of conflicting reports regarding Favre soon maybe even tomorrow so don’t go anywhere.  Regardless of what happens I hope this saga ends soon.  I’m sick and tired of it and at this point I could care less what Brett decides to do.  It’s turned into a soap opera and it been like this for three years in a row.  So Brett make up your mind and please spare us all of listening to this garbage any longer.

Brett Favre Expected to Have Surgery

According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press Brett Favre will meet with renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Alabama.  Surgery is planned for later this week and will require a six to eight week rehabilitation.  The surgery will “release the tendon” and is considered fairly routine.  If all goes well Favre will sign with the Vikings, coming out of retirement for the second year in a row.

Favre retired from the Jets in February and was released by the Jets in April following the draft after requesting his release.  Favre has previously stated in there was any chance of him coming back he would need to have surgery which he was previously reluctant to do.  If Favre comes back he should give the Vikings a huge boost.  The Vikings achilles heel the past few years has been quarterback play and Favre would be an upgrade over either Tavaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels as long as he doesn’t play like he did with the Jets down the stretch last year.  Favre did attribute his late season struggles to his bicep problems and before the injury last year was great leading the Jets to an 8-3 start.  Whether Favre makes the Vikings legitimate Super Bowl contenders is another story but his return would certainly improve their chances.