The Packers traded Favre to the Jets late Wednesday night, ending an emotionally grinding month of indecision over the future of the three-time MVP and Super Bowl-winning quarterback. Favre, who announced his NFL playing career was over in March, was expected to be introduced at a 6 p.m. news conference at Cleveland Browns Stadium before the Jets played their first exhibition game.
Analysis: The move ends a remarkably ugly split between Green Bay and one of its most beloved players, allows the Packers to move forward with new starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers and gives Favre a fresh start, though reports swirled over the past few weeks that Favre's first choice was Minnesota.
Bowen was placed on the waived-injured list on Thursday to make room on the roster for defensive end Derrick Jones.
Analysis: If not claimed by another team, Bowen will be placed on Buffalo's injured-reserve list later in the day. The fifth-round draft pick out of Iowa State is scheduled for surgery to repair a torn ligament on his right knee, which he injured in practice last week. Before he was hurt, Bowen had been competing for a backup spot and a regular role on special teams.
Jones signed with the Buffalo Bills on Thursday, two months after he was released by the Atlanta Falcons.
Analysis: Jones is expected to compete for a backup spot behind starters Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay. With reserve Bryan Copeland nursing a knee injury, the Bills are down a defensive end at training camp. Jones appeared in one game for the Falcons as a rookie last year. He was originally signed by Pittsburgh in 2007 as an undrafted free agent. To make room for Jones on their roster, the Bills placed rookie linebacker Alvin Bowen on waived-injured.
Fox Sports reported on its Web site late Wednesday night that the Packers have traded Favre to the Jets. The report said the exact compensation wasn't immediately known, but is believed to be a single draft pick that increases in value depending on New York's performance during the season.
Analysis: The Jets declined to comment on the report. Favre's agent, James "Bus" Cook, confirmed in an e-mail to The Associated Press earlier Wednesday that the Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were emerging as the most likely trade destinations for the three-time MVP.
Rivers joined the Cincinnati Bengals at training camp Wednesday after ending a 10-day holdout.
Analysis: Rivers, who signed a five-year contract Tuesday night, has some other catching up to do. He missed 12 practices, including the club's intra-squad scrimmage, besides meetings and film sessions. Rivers, the ninth pick out of Southern Cal, ran drills with the second-team defense, playing behind third-year player Brandon Johnson.
Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson was not seen at practice Wednesday morning, and his scheduled early afternoon media availability was postponed -- one of several signs a trade involving Brett Favre might be brewing.
Analysis: Favre's Mississippi-based agent, James "Bus" Cook, told the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger Wednesday morning that a trade, either to Tampa Bay or the New York Jets, might happen as soon as this morning.
Rivers ended his contract holdout with the Cincinnati Bengals late Tuesday night, ending an impasse that made him to miss nine days of training camp.
Analysis: Rivers was one of only two first-round draft picks still unsigned. The linebacker from Southern California showed up at the team's training facility on Tuesday night and signed the deal. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed. Rivers was expected to join the Bengals for a practice on Wednesday morning. The Bengals had projected him as a starter for the regular season, but dropped him on the depth chart because he missed so much time.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Orton will start Thursday's preseason opener against Kansas City.
Analysis: In competition with Rex Grossman, who will start the team's second exhibition contests versus Seattle, Orton started 15 games his rookie season in 2005 and helped the Bears make the playoffs.
Burress had talks with the New York Giants on Tuesday about getting a new contact for the star wide receiver.
Analysis: Burress, who caught the game-winning touchdown pass in the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots and led New York in receiving and touchdown catches last season, has three years left on a contract that will play him $3.25 million this season.
Marshall has been suspended for three games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.
Analysis: Marshall was arrested in March on a domestic violence allegation by his ex-girlfriend. He's also due in court next month for a drunken driving trial.
Lingering symptoms from a concussion have forced James to be shut down for the season by the Atlanta Falcons.
Analysis: The Falcons waived James, a fifth-round draft pick from Arizona State, on Tuesday after a specialist determined the linebacker was not recovering from a concussion as well as expected.
Broncos center Tom Nalen might be out until the season opener as he continues to recover from offseason surgery on his left knee.
Analysis: The 15-year veteran whose 2007 season was cut short by a torn right biceps after five games hasn't practiced since the first few days of camp. He is the only player remaining from the Broncos' back-to-back Super Bowl winners in the 1990s.
Cleveland Browns safety Gary Baxter, attempting a comeback from two freak knee injuries, underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday.
Analysis: Baxter, who tore both patellar tendons on the same play in a 2006 game, sat out all last season while rehabbing. A former cornerback, he switched to safety to try and extend his career. Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel gave no timetable on a return date for the 29-year-old Baxter, who has played in just eight games since signing with the Browns as a free agent in 2005. No player has ever come back and played after tearing both patellar tendons.
Pro Bowl kick returner Joshua Cribbs said Tuesday he wants to restructure the remaining five years of his contract with the Cleveland Browns.
Analysis: Cribbs, one of the NFL's premier special teams players, said his agent has asked the club to redo the extension he signed during the 2006 season. The deal is worth about $6 million over the next five years. Cribbs took back two kickoffs and a punt for touchdowns last season. He has five career touchdowns on kick returns.
Favre left Lambeau Field just before Green Bay Packers practice Tuesday afternoon, taking a right turn out of the stadium's back gate -- away from the field where the rest of his teammates were assembling for drills.
Analysis: The continued disagreement on Favre's role could accelerate trade talks, perhaps with the Minnesota Vikings - something Packers officials have suspected Favre wanted all along but have been firmly opposed to giving him.
Favre's SUV was back in its parking spot at Lambeau Field on Tuesday morning, less than 12 hours after a late-night meeting between Favre and Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy concluded.
Analysis: Favre and McCarthy were supposed to talk about Favre's commitment to football and his role on the team Monday night. The fact that the meeting ran several hours over its allotted time was a strong hint that it went beyond simply welcoming Favre back to compete with Aaron Rodgers for the starting job.
Boller will start at quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens in their preseason opener against the defending AFC champion New England Patriots.
Analysis: Boller is competing against Troy Smith and rookie Joe Flacco to start the regular-season opener. Coach John Harbaugh said Boller was chosen open against the Patriots on Thursday because of his experience. Boller, a six-year veteran, has started 42 NFL games. Smith has two career starts, both as a rookie last year.
Andrews is battling depression and might arrive at training camp this week, the two-time Pro Bowl selection told a newspaper Monday.
Analysis: In an exclusive interview with the Philadelphia Daily News from his Arkansas home, Andrews said his depression started a year ago and has worsened. Andrews missed the final week of the Eagles' voluntary workouts in June for personal reasons and has been a no-show in the first weeks of training camp. Andrews said he is scheduled to see a doctor Thursday and could return to the team shortly after.
Lucas returned to the team Monday with a black left eye and swelling around his nose, three days after he was punched by teammate Steve Smith at practice.
Analysis: A subdued Smith apologized to his Panthers' teammates, coaches and fans Monday. Lucas suffered a broken nose that will require surgery in the incident. While he said he accepted Smith's apology, Lucas said he'll probably be sidelined two to three weeks.
A subdued Smith apologized to his Carolina Panthers' teammates, coaches and fans Monday, three days after he punched teammate Ken Lucas at practice, leaving the starting cornerback with a broken nose that will require surgery.
Analysis: Smith, who was suspended without pay for the first two regular-season games, spoke to reporters for about four minutes after his first practice with the team since the incident. He did not answer questions. Smith was sent home from training camp after the incident, and did not practice Saturday. He rejoined the team Sunday night and apologized in a team meeting.
