Favre retirement should stick this time

After building a reputation over the last five years as the "Quarterback Who Cried Wolf," Brett Favre made it sound pretty convincing that his announcement this week that he is retiring isn't going to change when spring or summer rolls around - effectively killing any chance of the future Hall of Famer coming to the Vikings.

The hopes that Brett Favre would somehow make his way to the Vikings all but disappeared Friday. In taped interviews on ESPN with Ed Werder, Favre made it clear that this time he is serious about retiring and staying retired.

While some fans will contend he said the same thing last year, this year it was much different. In his tearful 2008 retirement speech, Favre said he was still capable of playing, but wasn’t willing to commit to the rigors of the offseason program – leaving the door open for a return. This time, he has a much different tone. Due to a torn biceps injury, Favre would need to have immediate surgery and a strict rehab program, something that, at his age, he theorized wouldn’t be a guarantee for success at 40 years of age.

For Vikings fans who were hoping for the team to make a run at an established veteran quarterback, the last couple of months have been painful to say the least. Favre has retired and, thanks to a strong late-season run for both of them, it now appears that neither Donovan McNabb nor Kurt Warner will be made available. The franchising of Patriots backup Matt Cassel likely takes him of the Vikings’ radar as well.

So now what? The new potential frontrunner if the Vikings are to make an offseason move for a veteran QB might be Derek Anderson of the Browns. It seems clear that the Browns are moving toward Brady Quinn as their quarterback and the potential exists that Anderson could be had in trade – with a remote chance that the Browns release him if they can’t work out a trade.

In mid-December, it appeared as though there would be several potential quarterbacks with impressive resumes on the free-agent or trade market. But, in mid-February, that market would seem to have all but dried up.

SATURDAY NOTES

Former Viking Corey Chavous was released by the Rams Friday. He had played for the team since 2006.

In one of the stranger stories of the pre-free agent market, the Falcons are trying to peddle the rights to QB Michael Vick, who remains in prison after being convicted in 2007 of dog fighting charges. It will be interesting to see what (if any) teams will be willing to take on the potential public relations nightmare of adding a player that will almost surely result in some form of PETA protests at games, practices and just about any other function Vick might take part in if he is allowed to return to the NFL.

The Panthers have hired former Vikings assistant coach Brian Baker as the team’s new defensive line coach.

The franchising of players has begun in earnest. The Giants announced Friday that RB Brandon Jacobs won’t make it to the open market after being slapped with the franchise tag. Also on Friday, Falcons punter Michael Koenen signed his franchise tender of $2.48 million. The Lions are expected to hit 40-something kicker Jason Hanson with their franchise tag if a deal can’t be reached by the franchise deadline Feb. 19.

The Bears' dismal wide receiver situation is just getting worse. The team released veteran Marty Booker Friday and us expected to cut Brandon Lloyd in the coming days.