The man who quietly but persistently lobbied hard for Green Bay officials to acquire Randy Moss during the offseason is apparently unhappy that the Packers' efforts to land the veteran wide receiver via a trade with the Oakland Raiders fell short on draft weekend.
In interviews during his annual charity golf tournament in Tunica, Miss., quarterback Brett Favre acknowledged that he felt the Packers missed an opportunity to add a significant piece to their offense. Preparing for his 17th season in the league, his 16th in a Packers' uniform, Favre never publicly articulated his support for a Moss trade this spring, but the consensus was that he wanted an opportunity to play with the wide receiver.
"It is disappointing," Favre said on Saturday. "We could have gotten him for less money than New England did. He wanted to play in Green Bay for the amount of money we would have paid him. It [was] well worth the risk."
But was the three-time MVP angry enough to ask his way out of
Green Bay?
Amid public grousing from Favre about the state of his team over
the weekend, a report on the Fox Sports Web site, citing anonymous
sources, said Favre's agent called Packers general manager Ted
Thompson to request a trade a few days after last month's draft.
According to the report, Packers coach Mike McCarthy later
called the quarterback and was able to calm his anger, getting
Favre to admit that he didn't really want to play elsewhere.
In a statement posted on the Packers' Web site, Thompson said he would not address the specifics of the report
but understood the frustration Favre vented in interviews over the
weekend.
"I think it's natural for a player to be frustrated from time
to time -- that's simply being human," Thompson said. "Everyone
knows that Brett Favre is all about winning. As an organization, we
share that commitment. And we want to win now."
Other Packers officials and Favre's agent, James "Bus" Cook,
did not return telephone messages from The Associated Press on
Sunday.
"It is disappointing. We could have gotten him for less money than New England did. He wanted to play in Green Bay for the amount of money we would have paid him. It [was] well worth the risk."
-- Brett Favre
Green Bay officials did negotiate with the Raiders during the draft, but Oakland instead sent Moss to New England on the second day of the lottery, receiving a fourth-round draft pick in return. As part of the trade, Moss agreed to reduce his compensation for the 2007 season from $9.75 million to $3 million and to void the 2008 season that was part of the deal.
Thompson has not addressed the team's efforts. It has been speculated that the Packers declined to surrender a fourth-round choice in trade talks, and offered only a fifth-round selection. That has not, however, been substantiated.
Favre apparently spoke with Moss on several occasions before the draft. Favre's agent, Cook, was once Moss' agent as well, and still retains a lesser role representing the wide receiver in contract negotiations. That connection, though, is believed to have played no part in Favre's desire to add Moss to the Packers' passing game.
Instead, the Green Bay quarterback merely felt Moss could still add an explosive dimension to the Packers' offense.
"The last thing I want to do is start any [controversy]," Favre said. "But I think he would have been a great addition. You throw Randy Moss, you throw [current starters] Donald Driver and Greg Jennings on the field at the same time, and go three-wide receiver set ... and I think it's pretty intimidating. And we lost out on that, and I think that it's a shame, because I know we could have had him."
Favre, 37, acknowledged the obvious, that he is nearing the end of his celebrated career, one that will someday earn him a spot in the Hall of Fame. But he emphasized that he can still perform at a high level and that he wants to finish his career a winner.
"I'm not getting any younger and I think everybody knows that," Favre said. "I don't have five years to rebuild. ... I don't know if I've lost faith, and I think everyone in the organization wants to win. I just don't know if it includes me. If it's going to be five years from now, I'm not going to be here. This is 17 years for me and I want to win [now]."
Favre is rehabilitating from February surgery on his left ankle. There are some questions about his plans for the team's minicamp next weekend, but it is believed that Favre will attend, although he will not be able to participate in any on-field activities.
Senior writer Len Pasquarelli covers the NFL for ESPN.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.