By Tom Kessenich

I haven’t written about the Brett Favre Saga because it’s been my hope that, like Jessica Simpson’s country music career, this would just fade away and we could all move on and forget this ugliness ever happened. But with the news today that Favre is going to report to training camp with the Packers it’s become clear the future Hall of Famer will play this season.

Just don’t expect him to play for Green Bay.

I believe this latest development is a procedural step toward making a Favre trade a reality. And it could occur very soon. The Packers have been talking to teams around the league gauging their interest and at least one (Tampa Bay) has reportedly been spending a lot of time in recent days pondering whether it should trade for Favre.

My take on this simple: I hope Green Bay GM Ted Thompson knows what he’s doing here because his job could depend on it.

I don’t believe Favre has handled this well. He came across badly in his interview last week with Greta Van Susteren with many of his comments coming across like a spoiled child who didn’t get his way and isn’t happy with mom and dad because of it. Public sentiment in Packerland is growing more and more strongly on the team’s side because of it so if Thompson does trade Favre (or perhaps I should say when he trades Favre) it’s unlikely there will be a heavy outpouring of emotion against the decision.

But like I said, I hope Thompson knows what he’s doing. It’s one thing to trade Favre and say the job belongs to Aaron Rodgers. It’s another to trade one of the game’s top quarterbacks (which Favre still is) to a playoff team (which Tampa Bay is, for example) and arguably give that playoff team the primary thing it needs most to make a run at the Super Bowl.

Meanwhile, back in Green Bay, the Packers’ success would ride on the shoulders of an unproven starter with durability issues and a pair of rookies backing him up.

So explain to me again why trading Favre is such a slam-dunk move for the Packers?

I don’t think anyone in the galaxy outside of the Rodgers family honestly believes Aaron Rodgers is a better quarterback right now than Brett Favre. And when you consider how difficult it is to get to the Super Bowl, that is ultimately the most important element of this equation.

Who gives the Packers their best chance to win this season as the starting quarterback? There isn’t a meaningful measurable available which would support Rodgers as the answer to that question. But that very well may be the decision Thompson makes. If he does, he had better hope Rodgers is the next Steve Young and Favre looks like Johnny Unitas with the Chargers.

The alternative isn’t a pretty one for Thompson – or Packer fans – to ponder.

From a fantasy perspective, Favre's pending return means the woefully weak quarterback position now has another legitimate starting option added to the mix. He ranked ninth in NFFC scoring last year, averaging 22.4 points per game, so in a year with so many question marks at the position Favre would provide a safe, productive answer.

Even if the unforeseen happens and he remains with Green Bay as a backup, it would likely be a matter of time before he supplanted Rodgers as the starter. So Favre's return from (brief) retirement would be good news for a fantasy season that appeared to be largely devoid of quality starting QB options.

Tom Kessenich is the Managing Editor of Fantasy Sports Magazine and the Events Director of the National Fantasy Football Championship. Click here to find out more information about the NFFC or call 800-726-9966 ext. 13284 to get signed up today to reserve a spot before the events sell out.