Favre trade talk heating up as Packers move on

Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson was not seen at practice Wednesday morning, and his scheduled early afternoon media availability was postponed - one of several signs a trade involving Brett Favre might be brewing.

Favre's agent, James "Bus" Cook, confirmed in an e-mail to The Associated Press on Wednesday that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets were emerging as the most likely trade destinations for the three-time MVP.

Favre was on a private plane that left for Hattiesburg, Miss. at 1:25 p.m. Cook and Favre's wife, Deanna, also boarded the plane. Favre's family home is near Hattiesburg.

Earlier Wednesday, Cook told the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger that the trade might happen in a matter of hours.

"Brett's ready to go play," Cook told the paper.

Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden refused to address speculation that the team was on the verge of a deal for Favre. The Buccaneers have yet to confirm publicly that they are interested in Favre, although Gruden conceded that Favre's situation is "unprecedented" and acknowledged that he's always willing to explore ways to improve his team.

"We are a good football team," Gruden said. "We're trying to become a great one. We'll do anything we can to get better. And if that involves looking at other players, by George that's our job. That's our responsibility."

The Jets had no comment on the Favre situation, a team spokesman said Wednesday.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy spoke to Favre again Tuesday night, but there was no indication that their conversation did anything to change the fractured relationship between Favre and the franchise.

"It was just very general," McCarthy said of the conversation with Favre, who was excused from practice Wednesday. "Just how he was doing, where he was with the process, things like that."

McCarthy said he was happy the rest of his players were getting a chance to move forward.

"We talked about it last night," McCarthy said. "The players want resolution, they want what everybody wants. To come out here every day and talk about somebody that is not here and then shows up, it's gone on too long, and understandably so. They want to play football."

Packers players vented frustration over the Favre situation Tuesday, after fans chanting "Bring Back Brett!" turned practice into a zoo-like atmosphere and reporters continued asking questions about Favre instead of football.

After McCarthy made it clear Tuesday that Favre's football future wouldn't be in Green Bay, players seemed to have some sense of closure.

"It was just important to get things moving," Packers tackle Mark Tauscher said. "Obviously, there's no closure as of yet, but I think we've kind of been told what's going on and I think we all kind of know where everything stands."

Packers cornerback Charles Woodson - who said Tuesday that the Favre saga had "gone on long enough" - said Wednesday that the Packers' front office gave players the answers they needed.

"From what I understand, for the most part it's taken care of," Woodson said. "Now it's just about the Packers and not about the situation. It's over now. From what I understand, it's pretty much over."

And if the Packers end up playing against Favre in Tampa on Sept. 28?

"Once you're on another team, you're on another team," Woodson said. "I think for the most part the locker room would have liked to see him back here. But like I say, once you're on another team ..."

The final split between the Packers and Favre became obvious Tuesday night. McCarthy told reporters that after extensive conversations with Favre over two days, he had determined that Favre doesn't have the right mindset to play for the Packers.

After approximately six hours of what McCarthy called "brutally honest" conversations with Favre, McCarthy said Favre couldn't seem to get past emotional wounds that were opened as tensions mounted in recent weeks - even with the chance to win his starting job back potentially on the table.

"The train has left the station, whatever analogy you want," McCarthy said Tuesday. "He needs to jump on the train and let's go. Or, if we can't get past things that have happened, I have to keep the train moving."

Favre left Lambeau Field just before Packers practice Tuesday afternoon.

"We're at a stalemate," Favre told ESPN Tuesday morning.

---

AP Sports Writers Brett Martel in Baton Rouge, La., and Fred Goodall in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., contributed to this report.