OPINION

By Clifton Brown

updated 4:57 p.m. ET July 25, 2008

The Green Bay Packers need to trade Brett Favre before he turns their training camp into a bigger circus than Barnum & Bailey.

Trade him to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Trade him to the New York Jets. Trade him anywhere outside the NFC North if he applies for reinstatement. The longer this melodrama continues, the more disruptive it becomes for the Packers.

Favre is one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. But if he applies for reinstatement as planned and joins the Packers as they open training camp Sunday, the attention surrounding him will make the Packers the most distracted team in the league.

Everything will be about Favre. Is he the starter? Is he the backup? Will he be traded? How does Aaron Rodgers feel? How do his teammates feel? The questions and speculation will turn training camp into a soap opera, and that's a terrible way for any team to begin a new season.

This feud has gone too far for Favre and the Packers to mend fences. Even if the Packers did a complete about-face and welcomed back Favre as the starter, what would that say to the rest of the team? It would say that Favre retires and returns whenever he pleases, and that the rest of the team must deal with the consequences.

Nobody knows how Rodgers will play in his first season as a starter. But nobody can guarantee how well Favre will play next season, either. He was terrific last season — 28 touchdown passes, 15 interceptions, a passer rating of 95.7. But in 2005 and 2006, Favre threw for a combined 38 touchdown passes and 47 interceptions. He will turn 39 years old in October, and even Favre cannot defy age forever.

If Favre insists on returning to the NFL, the Packers cannot stop him. But they can stop the uncertainty surrounding their team. Favre might want to play for the Packers, and he might want to play for the Minnesota Vikings. But as Mick Jagger says, you can't always get what you want.

Video   Delicate situation in Green Bay July 25: Packers president Mark Murphy is focused on making sure that Green Bay continues to maintain a good relationship with Brett Favre. NBC Sports

Trading Favre to the Buccaneers or the Jets or another contender would not be disrespecting him. It would give him a chance to resume his career with a team that has a realistic chance to make the playoffs.

Pursuing Favre makes sense for both the Buccaneers and the Jets. Jeff Garcia, Tampa's current starter, is only about four months younger than Favre and wants a new contract. If the Buccaneers get Favre, they add a better quarterback to a team that made the playoffs last season. And Garcia becomes expendable.

With the Jets, Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens are battling for the starting job. But after dealing with Pennington's lack of arm strength and Clemens' inconsistency, you can almost picture the Jets' receivers drooling just thinking about catching Favre's passes.

The Jets have seriously upgraded their roster this offseason by adding guard Alan Faneca, defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, right tackle Damien Woody, outside linebacker Calvin Pace and rookie defensive end Vernon Gholston. Adding Favre could mean the difference between the Jets making and missing the playoffs.

Having at least two suitors competing for Favre gives the Packers the chance to drive up the asking price. At worst, the Packers should get a second-round pick and a lower-round pick in return for Favre, similar to what the Miami Dolphins got for Jason Taylor and what the New York Giants got for Jeremy Shockey.

Favre wants to play football in '08, and the Packers need to move forward without further uncertainty. The Packers' best option is to trade Favre. And if he applies for reinstatement, Packers GM Ted Thompson must make a deal quickly.

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