Favre: 'Gruden sold me'

Brett Favre conducted a press conference in Cleveland, where the Jets play the Browns tonight.

In his comments, Favre made reference to the fact that he talked to the Bucs about a possible trade to Tampa Bay but did not speak with the Jets until a deal was nearly complete. His chat with coach Jon Gruden was, well, productive.

"The decisions that were made this whole offseason, right or wrong, I knew I was going to be faced with another tough one," Favre said. "If I talk to (the Jets) we would be scratching our heads saying, 'Now what do we do?' Jon Gruden sold me as well. There's nothing more to it than that."

Allen: Bucs never made offer for Favre

General manager Bruce Allen said the Bucs never made an offer for quarterback Brett Favre because the Green Bay Packers refused to trade him to an NFC team.

Allen acknowledged that the Bucs did receive permission to talk to Favre, but said they were one of 18 teams that were granted that right.

""There was no negotiations,'' Allen said. "There was never any substantive talk about what they would take to trade him. So all of that was speculation. From the beginning, I think it was clear it was a bad situation in Green Bay and they had to deal with it any way they could.

"Green Bay never told us what they were even interested in trading him for,'' Allen said.

According to Allen, he had two conversations with Packers general manager Ted Thompson over the past two months.

Allen's comments disputed reports that the Bucs were one of two teams that Favre was deciding between Wednesday night. Favre's agent, James 'Bus' Cook said trade talks had come down to the Jets or the Bucs.

Favre was traded to the Jets late Wednesday for a conditional fourth round pick that could become a first rounder if Favre is responsible for leading the team to the Super Bowl.

"We always look at any scenario we can find that can help the Buccaneers,'' Allen said. "That is our No. 1 priority is helping this team. If it was going to be a double-trade, a triple-trade, in any form we can help the Bucs, we will always listen.''

When asked if the Bucs made any offers to the Packers for Favre, Allen said, "No.'

Allen was asked if he knew the Packers would only trade Favre to an AFC team, why did the Bucs talk to Favre?

"We're going to listen to people's thoughts,' Allen said. "If there was a way it could benefit the Buccaneers, we're going to keep our ears open.'

Allen said speculation that the Bucs were interested in Favre should not affect quarterback Jeff Garcia's performance this season.

"Jeff's a great competitor,'' Allen said. "His number one attribute is his competitive skills. Right now, we want to get Jeff healthy and back on the practice field. Nothing will change the competitive nature of Jeff Garcia.''

(Pictured - Bruce Allen. Times photo - Brendan Fitterer. Click to enlarge.)

Report: Favre to Jets

Brett Favre is headed to the Jets.

The Packers have traded the future Hall of Fame quarterback not to the Bucs, but to the Jets, according to report from FOXSports.com late Wednesday evening.

Terms of the deal weren't available by FOXSports.com reported that the Jets will send a single draft pick, which will increase in value depending on how well the Jets perform this season, to Green Bay for Favre. The NFL Network reported early Thursday morning that Green Bay would receive a conditional fourth-round pick.

According to the FOXSports.com report, not only were the Jets more aggressive in pursuing Favre, but they also offered better compensation. The only roadblock of a trade was getting Favre's rubber stamp. And Favre spoke with Jets coach Eric Mangini and other team personnel late Tuesday evening, the report said.

Popular belief was that a deal was going to get done soon -- even that both the Bucs and the Jets had their offers on the table and all that was needed was either approval from the Packers or Favre. That shows how fluid these things are, which we discussed here. And even though the Bucs appeared to be the frontrunners for Favre's services, it appears that the Jets surpassed them just in a matter of hours.

For the Packers, it is the best case scenario. They deal Favre out of the NFC. The Jets don't play the Packers this season (Green Bay travels to Tampa Bay in Week 4), so his departure won't come back to haunt them, which was long the Pack's biggest fear.

One obstacle was the Jets' salary cap (The Bucs could have easily accomodate Favre's $12-million contract), but the Jets will apparently trade one of the quarterbacks, most likely Chad Pennington because he make more money.

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

(Pictured - Brett Favre. Getty Images. Click to enlarge.)

Would Favre lead Bucs to Super Bowl? Madden simulation says no

Is the Madden cover jinx still alive?

Before the focus of the sporting world was on Brett Favre, he was already the cover boy for the highly popular EA Sports Madden '09 video game. Even though the game doesn't  come out until Aug. 12, Favre is there on the cover in a Packers uniform.

For those of you who don't know about the game's dubious past, a number of Maddon cover boys have suffered star-crossed seasons in the year they graced the box. Shawn Alexander had a nagging foot injury in 2006. Michael Vick broke his leg in his first game of the season in 2003. Marshall Faulk missed six games with an ankle injury in 2002. Daunte Culpepper suffered a knee injury in 2001 and Eddie George had the worst season of his career in 2000.

Knowing that Favre might be playing in another uniform, the people at EA Sports decided to simulate seasons with Favre playing his possible suitors, including the Bucs.

In the game's simulation, Favre threw for 3,827 yards, 34 touchdowns and 19 interceptions in a Bucs uniform, leading Tampa Bay to a 12-4 record. But the simulation has the Favre-led Bucs losing to the Eagles in the divisional round 34-28.

The game also did a simulation with the team's current quarterback. And while Jeff Garcia's regular seaosn performance wasn't as good (3,508 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and an 11-5 regular season record), Garcia led the Bucs to the NFC championship game. But even Garcia couldn't beat the Eagles, as the sim Bucs lost to Philly 35-28.

For the record, the Favre-led Jets went to the playoffs, but lost to the Browns in the Wild Card round.

Click here for the link.

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

(Photo credit: EA Sports)

Simms: Team would welcome Favre

Speaking after Wednesday's morning practice session, Bucs reserve quarterback Chris Simms said he was confident that the team would embrace Brett Favre if he lands in Tampa Bay.

“I think he would be received great," Simms said. "Why not? He’s awesome. He’s a guy I grew up watching. I was in seventh or eighth grade or high school when he was winning Super Bowls so to me in a sense he’s kind of like an idol. I think there are a lot of guys who would be welcoming to him for sure.”

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

Gruden won't address Favre discussions

Bucs coach Jon Gruden would not address rumors that the Bucs are close to signing Packers quarterback Brett Favre. Asked if he spoke to Favre last night, Gruden said he wasn't going to talk about it. (View audio slide show)

"I have a lot of respect for the situation," said Gruden, who said Favre's future should be resolved in the next few days. "I'm going to be very reluctant to say much. I don't want to have to repeat myself tomorrow and change my story."

But he did liken the situation to when the Oakland Raiders signed legendary wide receiver Jerry Rice late in his career.

"Similar to (the Favre situation)," Gruden said, "from the standpoint that (Rice) was probably the best receiver to ever play. ... In this situation, you're talking about a guy (Favre) that has been well documented, well covered."

"I don't want to get involved in this publicly," he added, "because I don't have all the information."

Quarterback Jeff Garcia was absent from the morning practice. The team said he was receiving treatment.

GM Bruce Allen missed practice for the second day. The team said he was in New York for league meetings.

On a side note, the Bucs worked out former fullback Lorenzo Neal, apparently in response to B.J. Askew's ongoing injury problem.

(Times photo -- James Borchuck. Click to enlarge.)

Gruden unaware of permission to talk to Favre

Bucs coach Jon Gruden said Friday he is personally unaware of the Bucs receiving permission to speak with Packers quarterback Brett Favre.

"I don't have anything to report other than we haven't had any trade talks to my knowledge,'' Gruden said.

"Brett Favre is under contract, my last understanding, with the Green Bay Packers. We're excited about our quarterbacks. I don't know how many quarterbacks we can use at this point.''

Starting quarterback Jeff Garcia will miss the first two days of practice while attending the renunion of his father's junior college national championship team in Gilroy, Calif.

Gruden said he expects Garcia to take snaps with the first-team offense Monday. But Gruden stopped short of saying the Bucs have no interest in acquiring Favre in the future.

"I'm never going to be a guy who puts his foot down,'' Gruden said. "I work with people. Until we get together and see what the issue at hand...as I sit here today, Jeff Garcia is the quarterback.''

Gruden said it was unfair to Garcia to continue the speculation regarding Favre.

"I love Jeff Garcia,'' Gruden said. "He's a huge reason we got this thing turned around last year. To speculate on all those things us unfair to Jeff. I'll just comment on the guys that are here.''

In other Bucs' news:

* First-round pick Aqib Talib, the team announced, has signed.

* Defensive end Greg White, an exclusive-rights free agent who remains unsigned, has not reported.

* Cadillac Williams will start camp on the physically unable to perform list.

* Seventh-round pick Cory Boyd, who reportedly had a knee injury and was involved in a scuffle with Talib during a rookie symposium, was released.

Report: Bucs can talk to Favre

The Bucs can talk to retired Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre, FOX Sports' Jay Glazer reports.

Favre has permission from the Packers to speak to the Bucs or the Jets, both who have expressed interest in a possible trade for the NFL's all-time passing leader. Green Bay is unlikely to grant such permission to an NFC North rival, such as Minnesota, which is currently being monitored by the league for a possible tampering violation.

Favre reportedly told Packers G.M. Ted Thompson Thursday that he plans to report to training camp this weekend, a move that could be intended to force the team to quickly work out a trade, according to the story.

Report: Favre plans to return to Packers

Brett Favre told Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson during a telephone conversation Thursday that he is planning to return to the Packers and report to training camp this weekend, according to a story on NFL.com.

Favre is expected to fax a letter seeking reinstatement to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell as early as today. The Packers report to camp on Sunday.

Favre still could decide to stay retired or the Packers could trade him. But at this point, all indications are that Favre plans to spend the season with the Packers, the story says.

(Photo: Getty Images. Click to enlarge.)