Favre Coming Back for One More Year

Quarterback Brett Favre has decided to return for one more season with the Green Bay Packers.

The team announced today that Favre had informed the club of his decision Tuesday.

"The Green Bay Packers are very pleased that Brett has come to this decision, and look forward to a successful 2006 season," Packers General Manager Ted Thompson said in a written statement released by the team.

Favre's decision first was reported Tuesday night by ESPN. Favre previously said that if he returned, next season would be his last.

The Packers were on hold for months while Favre mulled his options. He talked at times like he was planning to retire. Former Packers coach Mike Holmgren said last month that when his current team, the Seattle Seahawks, faced the Packers at the end of the regular season, he believed at the time that Favre would retire, but he'd changed his thinking since then and had become increasingly convinced that Favre would play another season.

It will be Favre's 16th NFL season and 15th with the Packers. He is coming off his worst season, having thrown a career-high 29 interceptions last season while the Packers went 4-12. He said during the offseason that he wanted to see the Packers be active in free agency in an attempt to return to competitive status, but Thompson took a mostly conservative approach. Thompson did attempt to sign linebacker LaVar Arrington, but Arrington opted to remain in the NFC East and signed with the New York Giants.

The Packers remain in negotiations with free agent cornerback Charles Woodson, and they have the fifth overall selection in the NFL draft Saturday. Thompson has said he would not hesitate to use that choice on a quarterback if he feels that's the best player available at the time. The Packers used a first-round pick last year on a quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.

Packers officials had hoped for Favre to make a decision before the draft but had postponed a deadline tied to a $3 million roster bonus in Favre's contract until training camp in case it took him that long to make up his mind.

Favre, who turns 37 in October, will be playing for a new coach after Thompson fired Mike Sherman following the season and replaced him with Mike McCarthy.

Walker Gone?

Favre's return might ensure the departure of wide receiver Javon Walker from Green Bay.

Walker, after missing all but one game of last season because of a knee injury, has demanded to be traded, informing Thompson that he would retire rather than play another season for the Packers.

The Packers have not said whether they will accommodate Walker's request but they reportedly have been listening to trade offers from several teams, including the Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers. The Broncos and Eagles appear to be the front-runners but the Packers have maintained they will not trade Walker if they don't receive what they regard as a fair offer.