Vikings Reportedly Want a Decision From Brett Favre by End of Week

It's been six days since FanHouse last wrote about Brett Favre and, well, that just won't do. Last we heard, Favre may or may not have talked to Dr. James Andrews about arm surgery in preparation for one more NFL season.

Either way, Favre hasn't come out and said he's done, although no one would believe him if he did. So we wait. Unlike last year, though, when a handful of teams were interested in Favre after he fake retired -- and it became clear the Packers weren't going to give him the job -- this time around, only the Vikings are in the running for the ole gunslinger's services.

But they're not going to wait around all summer. In fact, according to Sports Illustrated's Peter King, Minnesota would like to know one way or the other by the end of the week.

[Favre's] going to have a make a decision whether to join the Vikings very soon, probably by this weekend, because the Vikings want to know what their 2009 future is at quarterback. I'm told the organization won't wait for a decision much longer, and if he has to get a minor operation to snip the damaged right biceps tendon that has been giving him pain, he has to do it soon. Like, within a week.

I get the strong sense that if the Vikings are going to do any deal with Favre that coach Brad Childress wants to be assured that Favre will report to training camp in game shape, with no restrictions on throwing or his condition. They'd also like Favre to be involved in the mental part of team activities before camp. He has missed the first week of Organized Team Activities (last week), and he's all but out of this weekend's final mandatory full-squad mini-camp before training camp. Ten OTA practices remain for the Vikings -- June 2-5, June 8-11 and June 15-16.

Yeah, that last bit about "reporting to training camp" and being involved "in the mental part of team activities" could be a deal-breaker. And I'm only half-kidding. Favre doesn't hide the fact that he could do without all the non-game-day-related stuff, and that includes watching film and partaking in mental reps.

At this stage in the proceedings, Favre feels he's pretty much seen it all, and a few extra hours staring at a video screen won't make much of a difference on Sundays.

Every "did he really just throw that pass into quadruple-coverage?" interception would be the obvious counterargument, but Favre, when he's playing well, is still one of the ten best quarterbacks in the league. The problem: the last time that happened was in 2007, and he didn't need surgery on his throwing arm.

Now, more than a year later, he looks like a 38-year-old, 18-year veteran. Which is to say: Favre might still be able to play in the NFL, but why should we think he'd be better than Sage Rosenfels? Especially if the Vikings' 2009 game plan borrows from the 2008 Ravens: use the running game to set up the passing game, and let the defense take care of the rest.

And if you're not convinced that Rosenfels can handle that responsibility, how about this: why is Favre a better option than Jeff Garcia? They're both in their late 30s, familiar with the West Coast Offense, and were similarly productive last season. The difference: one comes with a lot less baggage.