GREEN BAY -- The local TV stations here interrupted their usual daytime programming to bring viewers live coverage of Packers general manager Ted Thompson's regular weekly training-camp news conference.

Call it replacing one soap opera with another. Thompson made a few things clear: The Packers remain steadfast in their refusal to release Brett Favre outright while getting no compensation in return; they are unwilling to trade him to an NFC North division rival; and, having only had what Thompson called "kicking of tires" conversations with other teams about a trade, they can't rule out the possibility of Favre coming to camp later this week.


Thompson said he and Favre talked twice on Saturday, in two roughly 45-minute "very professional" and "very cordial" conversations.

"We talked about different options that were available. I stated my case as to why I thought certain options were better. He certainly had his opinion on his options," Thompson said. "At the end of the day, we still have not gotten to the point where we agree on what the best option is. We have sort of agreed to disagree.

"That's one scenario, where he comes back. We've said all along -- we've never changed our message in this regard -- that with his retirement and subsequent affirmation of that retirement, we have made a commitment to move forward. He understands that. I'm not saying he's in total agreement, but as a football guy, he understands that, and that's where we are. What does that mean? Does that mean he comes back in a different role or something like that? That would just be determined as we go forward.."

Asked if Favre had given him a deadline before he would report, Thompson said, "No, he didn't. I think he used the term `a couple of days.'"

Favre has reportedly signed his reinstatement application but was holding off on faxing it to the league office after his conversations with Thompson.

After Favre was outspoken in a pair interviews Sunday, including one in which he claimed Thompson begged him not to report to training camp -- and claimed Thompson said he'd be fired if Favre did show up -- the Packers responded to Favre's potentially inflammatory remarks by vowing to stay on "the high road."

"Brett Favre and I didn't (always) agree on things, whether it was the game plan (or) this and that. I don't agree with what was in (his) quotes.. I couldn't see Ted Thompson making those statements," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "But I'm not going to sit here and referee articles and interviews."

When asked directly if he told Favre, "Brett, you can't do that - you'll get me fired," when Favre asked if he was welcome to report, Thompson replied, "That would not be my interpretation of that conversation."

Thompson said that he did tell Favre yet again that the team has moved on with new starter Aaron Rodgers, however.

"It was important for me to be perfectly honest with Brett that we have started down this path and it doesn't make sense for us to turn around and go back now. We have to continue down this path," Thompson said. "Where that leads, I don't know, but I didn't want to be dishonest or disingenuous and say `OK, we can do this,' and then change our mind. I think Brett Favre deserves more than that, so we told him the way we felt.

"We believe that this is the path that we should be on. We believe this is the best thing in the best interest of the organization, both in the short term and the long term."

That might turn out to be a trade, but a league source said as of Monday evening that the Packers were not close to a deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the New York Jets, two of the leading candidates to trade for Favre.

"We've told Brett that we would work with him and obviously it would have to be an in-tandem thing to work out any sort of trade," Thompson said.

"With any trade, certainly a trade of an iconic figure like this, sometimes there are complications in there. ... I just felt like a couple of days really doesn't take any of his options away and it allows some more conversations to go forth.

"A release just doesn't make a lot of sense from the Packers' point of view. I've not heard many people say that's a good option, even people that would like to hang me in effigy outside.

"The most desirable outcome is to get to a point where the Packers can say, `We have done our job in representing the Packers. We have done our job in trying to help Brett Favre get where he wants to be.' If that means a trade, fine. If that means something else, fine. I'm not saying it's easy, but we're trying to do this so that everybody comes out of this and feels OK."

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