Ladies and gentlemen, Brett Favre is back! (sort of)

Between the draft, the lockout, and various athlete tweets and legal repercussions, there's been so much going on in professional football, we've barely had time to miss one Brett Lorenzo Favre.

And for one Brett Lorenzo Favre, there's nothing worse than not being missed. That's why he gave an interview to Mississippi television station WDAM-TV on Thursday from a football camp, saying that he may be looking to get into coaching or find some work as a TV analyst, though he has no plans to enter any field anytime soon ? according to the interview, Favre has spent the last few months traveling and following Southern Miss baseball.

Of course, with Favre, the meaning behind the meaning is what everyone's looking for. He's famously wavered on the issue of retirement more often than The Who, and with the filing of his retirement papers after an injury-plagued 2010 season, Favre might be the one "free agent" quarterback who played last year that NFL teams could contact under the current lockout rules.

Favre's last team, the Minnesota Vikings, took Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder with the 12th overall pick, but you'd have to think that other NFL teams still looking to solve their quarterback situations with a freeze on free agency (especially those teams looking to boost their box office) might find a flare from Favre at this point in the offseason to prompt some very interesting thoughts.

And for Favre, we're right about on schedule. The football camp (or throwing the ball around with high school players in general) is generally the first sign that Punxsutawney Brett is thinking of mounting another comeback. Next, Favre will have to hold a press conference insisting that nothing's going on in an NFL sense for him. Then, he'll have to announce another press conference announcing that … well, maybe there is something to all this comeback stuff. At that point, Rich Eisen will throw up the Favre Watch signal, we'll be at DEFCON 5, and the NFL Network will become the Favre Channel once again.

In truth, I think that if Favre leaves the door open at all, he could get a huge run of offers, especially if the lockout goes into the late summer. With teams rushing to sign their new quarterbacks and teach the playbooks, the advantage Favre brings is that a.) He's seen just about every kind of offense at this point; and b.) Half the time, he ignores what the coach tells him what to do and succeeds anyway. If you're an NFL team looking for that kind of advantage in a time of uncertainty, wouldn't you take a flyer on Kiln, Mississippi's oldest quarterback?

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Ladies-and-gentlemen-Brett-Favre-is-back-sort?urn=nfl-wp1894

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Nick Fairley goes to Detroit Lions with 13th pick in NFL Draft

Pros: Fairley is explosive off the snap, and he's always looking for a gap to push through and get to the quarterback or ballcarrier. Bulls back single blockers with alarming strength and can split double-teams with that same strength as well as an effective series of hand moves. Slants very quickly off blocks in front of him and can push past blockers at an angle.

Fairley has the size and disruptive ability to be a very effective three-tech in a four-man front, but he's also stout enough to play straight over center in a three-man or hybrid front, making him a potential franchise player in just about any defense. Engages only as long as he has to -- even before he's winning strength battles on plays, he's always looking upfield. As a one-tech, forces the flow away from him and draws double-teams. Has a great inside roll to the quarterback; starts in a straight line and closes in very well. Sure tackler with violent intentions.

Cons: Has had frequent and well-documented issues with an inability to play inside the rules; he's developed a reputation as a cheap-shot artist. He's received multiple penalties for late hits and has a tendency to get nasty after the whistle. Can be drawn offside, and his aggressiveness can be used against him in a general sense. His after-throw quarterback hits, while legal and unflagged at the NCAA level, will likely draw him some flags and fines in the NFL, especially if his rep travels with him. Questions about his work ethic will have to be put to rest.

What does he bring?�Fairley isn't quite the Warren Sapp-type player who demolished offenses when he was in Tampa Bay, but he reminds of the Sapp who played a bit more upright in Oakland from 2004 through 2006 and started to allow an "illegal" side to his play. That's not to say that Fairley doesn't have the talent to be elite at that level, but he'll have to clean up his act on the field before he can take that next step. It may be that he's just a severe Type-A guy who needs that aggression corralled by the right kind of coaching. If that happens, look out, because a properly directed Nick Fairley could be a very dangerous individual ... in all the right ways.

Is it the right pick? Well, you can pencil Ndamukong Suh in for about 20 sacks next�year. Who on earth are the�Lions' opponents supposed to block?

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Nick-Fairley-goes-to-Detroit-Lions-with-13th-pic?urn=nfl-wp1514

Troy Smith Matthew Stafford Drew Stanton Tim Tebow

Tyron Smith goes to Dallas Cowboys with ninth pick in NFL Draft

Pros: Bounds up quickly off the snap and engages well inside. Has a better than average kick-step and dropback in pass protection and has a good arc when keeping edge rushers out of the play and into the pocket. Gets a wide base and turns the corner very well with excellent footwork. Gets to the second level and locks on effectively and quickly; runs like a tight end upfield. Doesn't get consistent pad level, but this is actually an indicator of how well he uses his hands; even when he loses the leverage battle, he can use his hands to fend off defenders. Defends swim and rip moves very well by repositioning and using his short-area agility. Gets outside and blocks out very well in zone situations. Pulls and traps well, though he'll be better with motion-blocking as he develops more inline power.

Cons: Smith isn't consistent in power situations - he doesn't cut-block specifically well and he can be bulled back. Size (6-foot-5, 280 pounds; he's since bulked up to 307)�was a concern and probably a root cause. The upside is that he's got the perfect frame for it. Blocks better and more quickly out of a two-point stance -- this may be a coaching point or a real point of doubt among some teams, but it's something definitely worth mentioning. Tends to wrestle and dance with defensive linemen more than he pops and stops. Hasn't played on the 27 pounds he gained after his college career.

What he brings to the team: USC doesn't play a spread offense, but right now, Smith projects best as a pure zone/spread blocker. He's going to have to increase his power and put together a few technique issues, but there's no question that he has the speed and agility to play well in any coordinated motion scheme. The Williams comp is based on his play at this point in time; the question Smith will have to answer is whether he can transcend the size and strength concerns that Williams hasn't, and that USC alum Charles Brown is still adjusting to in New Orleans. It's a difficult transition, but Smith could be the best of this tackle class down the road if he can make it.

Is it the right pick? Short-term and long-term, maybe. Smith can replace Marc Colombo now and eventually move up and replace Doug Free on the left side. The Cowboys desperately needed help on the offensive line, and this is an outstanding future pick. The question is whether he's a best fit for Dallas' power scheme -- Boston College's Anthony Castonzo might have been a better choice.

The rest of the top 10 picks
? 1. Cam Newton -- Carolina Panthers
? 2. Von Miller -- Denver Broncos
? 3. Marcell Dareus -- Buffalo Bills
? 4. A.J. Green -- Cincinnati Bengals
? 5. Patrick Peterson -- Arizona Cardinals
? 6. Julio Jones -- Atlanta Falcons
? 7. Aldon Smith -- San Francisco 49ers
? 8. Jake Locker -- Tennessee Titans
? 10. Blaine Gabbert -- Jacksonville Jaguars

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Tyron-Smith-goes-to-Dallas-Cowboys-with-ninth-pi?urn=nfl-wp1500

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