It is now the middle of February and the Jets have not played football in almost six weeks. Rex Ryan was hired three weeks ago and with him comes a new vision and a new attitude that the Jets will have this upcoming season. So while the focus with the team is clearly on the future rather than the past, there appears to be one big obstacle in the way of their plans.

“Brett the Jet” (everyone remember that headline at the end of last summer) or is it “Brett Maybe the Jet,” which is better term to describe the relationship with him and the team right now. I’m not even a Jets fan and I’m so fed up with Brett Favre and the whole situation he has put the Jets in this offseason.

My feeling all along is that Favre has been purposely dragging his feet so the Jets have no choice but to cut him so they can move ahead. He didn’t want to come here last season and since he’s seen the two faces of the New York fans and media, he wants no part of playing under the microscope at this point in his career. Last year he wanted to go to Minnesota, but because they are divisional rivals of the Packers, that could not have happened. The Jets can’t trade him there because there is a clause in the agreement which states that New York would have to give up a first round draft pick. But if they cut him, he is free to go wherever he wants. Why the Vikings would want Favre is beyond me, but I guess that even at his age he is an upgrade over Tavaris Jackson. The bottom line is that I am neither a Favre fan nor hater. I just think that he owes it to the Jets to make a decision so they can move on and focus on the upcoming season.
 
Look I know Favre is a former MVP, Super Bowl champion and all-around great player, but notice how I said former. This is not the same player who led the Packers to all of those playoff appearances and while doing so became one of the most well-liked players to ever wear a uniform. This is a man who is a very average quarterback right now and for him to think that he is so above the game these past two seasons is an absolute joke.

I place no blame on the Packers for what happened during last offseason; they waited patiently while he took his time (really took his time) and made up his mind to retire. The first few weeks of an offseason is a very crucial time for an organization to know what they need to do to address the upcoming campaign and replacing the starting quarterback position is the most important decision for any team. It involves so much off the field preparation that the quarterbacks themselves are relieved when it is over and they can begin throwing in minicamp.

I have no problem with someone deciding to retire and than changing their mind like Michael Jordan. (Really folks, did any of us think he was not coming back?) My problem is that Favre thought that just because he was ready to come back, the Packers would welcome him as their starting quarterback with open arms. Favre has been around the game long enough to know that training camp is not the start of the season. There are offseason conditioning programs, minicamps and film sessions, especially with the quarterback position. It was also a tough public relations situation for the Packers because of his legendary status there, so I really respect the way that they handled it.

I hoped that Favre would have been more considerate to his new team, knowing that he played so poorly down the stretch and there is a new coach in place with new ideas and plans for the team. Ryan is in a tough spot right now because in these upcoming weeks before free agency and the combines, a head coach needs to know about his options at the quarterback position, and there is no Aaron Rodgers waiting in the wings to become the new starter. Ryan said at his press conference that he would like to have Favre back, and right now I don’t think the Jets believe that Kellen Clemens or Brett Ratliff are the answers. But unfortunately at this point they really can’t make any kind of a move in free agency for a starting quarterback until they know Favre’s status.