Brett Favre’s moving targets

By Os Davis | Friday, May 05, 2006 | ( 0 )

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Brett Favre had a bad year in 2005. But somehow, despite Favre's anemic 61.3 quarterback rating, "the Green Bay Packers" (because we shouldn't forget Aaron Rodgers' sixteen attempts) ranked third in completions in the NFL.

Whether you blame that stat on his 32 interceptions or the team's no. 2 ranking in pass attempts, it makes no difference: As Favre goes (or doesn't), so go (or don't) the Packers. The Pack was 4-12 last season, and management has apparently chosen to take out their frustration on the receiving corps.

Here's an extensive recap of what's been going on with Favre's wide receiver corps.

-Making headlines this past weekend - as he did when proving a distraction as early as preseason last year - was Javon Walker. He was traded to the Denver Broncos on draft day for a second-round pick that made it possible for Western Michigan WR Greg Jennings to come to Green Bay. In 2004, Walker was named All-Pro after hauling in 89 passes and was dubbed by some media outlets as "Favre's favorite target." However, in 2005, Mr. Hyde emerged from within Walker and the receiver did little more than complain about Favre in training camp and undergo ACL surgery in October.

-Also gone, to the Cincinnati Bengals, is Antonio Chatman. He was the Pack's second most-productive receiver last season with 49 catches. Gone to the Seattle Seahawks is the seldom-used but excellently monikered Taco Wallace. And saddest of all, gone is last year's second round draft pick, receiver Terrence Murphy, whose entire career may be over due to a helmet-to-helmet hit by Thomas Davis of the Carolina Panthers in October. Murphy caught five passes and returned five kicks in 2005.

-No news was good news for Packer fans in late April. Donald Driver, Favre's true favorite target to the tune of almost 300 receptions in four years, announced that he would in fact not be holding out and had no intention of leaving the team. A false report had Driver demanding a contract restructuring and/or trade, but the career-long Packer publicly stated that he would be in Green Bay through the next two years remaining on his contract.

-Also staying, and reported to be in top shape, is Robert Ferguson. Ferguson missed three games due to injury last season, but has been mostly consistently available in his five seasons with Green Bay.

-Claimed after being waived by the Carolina Panthers in December, Rod Gardner is listed on the Packers' 2006 roster. Gardner, who ate up the NFL in 2002 with over 1,000 yards receiving on 71 receptions, is a huge question mark after having been mostly wasted in Carolina as a reserve WR. Though he's never produced numbers quite like those of his sophomore season, Gardner is needed as a long option for Favre immediately. They've got their fingers crossed in Wisconsin.

-The Green Bay Packers came out of an excellent draft with three new wide receivers. Though TCU's Cory Rodgers will likely be on the special teams' side of the ball as a returner, second-rounder Greg Jennings from Western Michigan and fourth-rounder Will Blackmon from Boston College should be seeing some action at receiver in the near future. Jennings has been criticized for facing a lack of top competition, but Packer backers like his speed and size, and some scouting reports see him as a no. 2 guy. Blackmon, last year's Eagle receiver of choice (51 catches for 763 yards and 4 TDs), was a steal of a fourth-rounder, an all-around athlete who also played at cornerback and on special teams at BC.

-A couple more hopefuls are currently hoping to increase their stock overseas with NFL Europe's Amsterdam Admirals. Undrafted Vincent Butler, who saw no action with Green Bay last year, is unfortunately not seeing much play in Holland, either. Chad Lucas, on the other hand, is without exaggeration one of the stories of the developmental league's 2006 season. Lucas leads the league in scoring with his eight TDs and is ranked fourth in receptions; the also-undrafted Lucas has scored in four of the Admirals' seven games, including one performance in which his four TDs tied two league records and set a third.

Including Marc Boerigter, who has yet to return to 2003 form, nine Packers are ready, willing and able to catch whatever Favre throws their way, distraction-free. Even Rodgers has got to be happy: These guys - whoever emerges from pre-season shuffling - will form a decent backbone for when he is handed the wheel of the green machine. Unless, of course, Ingle Martin IV turns out to be Brett Favre II...

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	About Os Davis Os Davis has taken a twisted route to get to RealFootball365.com in his nearly 17 years in professional writing, working in any number of capacities in the sportswriting, news reporting and film criticism worlds. In print media, Os has served as editor at a few publications, including Albuquerque's...
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