ESPN: Vikings give Favre a deadline

Could the Brett Favre-to-the-Minnesota Vikings saga finally be nearing an end? The answer to that question depended on whom you listened to Monday.

And neither the Vikings nor the Favre camp were talking — at least on the record.

ESPN reported Monday morning that Vikings coach Brad Childress has imposed a deadline of this week for the 39-year-old quarterback to decide whether he will end his second attempt at retirement and play for Minnesota in 2009. Chris Mortensen and Ed Werder cited two sources in their story for ESPN.

Later in the day, Pat Kirwan of Sirius NFL Radio said on his "Movin' The Chains" show that there is no deadline for Favre and that "the [ESPN] story was made up," adding, "Favre is on his way to Minnesota, and it may be around July 15. It might be earlier."

Kirwan, a former NFL executive, is friendly with Childress. On the other hand, Mortensen and Werder have broken several Favre-related stories.

Favre, a three-time league most valuable player in Green Bay, played for the New York Jets last season, announced he was retiring and was released in April.

Seahawks sign safety Greene

The Seahawks signed safety Courtney Greene, one of the team's three seventh-round picks in April's draft. Greene is the first of Seattle's seven draft picks to sign. The former Rutgers player was chosen No. 245 overall with the first of three compensatory picks the Seahawks were awarded in the seventh round.

Scout.com first reported news of the agreement on a four-year deal that totals about $1.8 million.

Greene still must play his way onto the Seahawks' roster. Seattle returns Deon Grant and Brian Russell — its starting safeties last season — along with Jordan Babineaux, C.J. Wallace and Jamar Adams.

Notes

• Ex-Seahawks quarterback Charlie Frye, 27, signed a contract with the Oakland Raiders.

• New Orleans linebacker Dan Morgan, who first retired before last season after seven years with Carolina because of multiple concussions, has decided to retire because of injuries, agent Drew Rosenhaus said. Morgan, 30, left the Saints' minicamp last weekend with a calf strain.

Seattle Times staff reporter Danny O'Neil contributed to this report.