NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

Brett Favre, who supposedly contacted the Seahawks about replacing Matt Hasselbeck, could be replacing Kevin Kolb as Michael Vick’s back-up because Philadelphia is reportedly interested. What could possibly go wrong?

1. If Vick were to struggle, like he did last year when he was injured and played himself out of the MVP race, Favre might have a developed contingency in the locker room that could divide things. There is a history of the Eagles not controlling their locker room. Of all of T.O.’s burned bridges, I thought maybe Philadelphia was the one where T.O. got a somewhat raw deal. Where T.O.’s exit from Dallas in many ways was excusable as it turned out that the Cowboy did not need him (Phillips and Romo won their first playoff game without him), I believe some of the tension between T.O. and McNabb was Donovan’s fault and the Eagles really did need him. Good coaching staffs and/or leaders – not to say Brian Dawkins wasn’t showing leadership to some extent – are able to snuff out in-fighting without suspending and cutting players.

2. If Favre plays in the playoffs, would he seriously be better than Mike Kafka? His last two playoffs have pretty much ended with stupid, costly interceptions.

3. Favre will have second thoughts before the season.

4. Favre will have second thoughts during the season. He hasn’t been a back-up since the beginning of the 1992 season.

5. Favre could actually retire during the season, leaving the Eagles in a bad situation. It’s likely that they want Favre as a veteran back-up to replace Kevin Kolb, given the dangerous nature of Vick’s play. If he retires, say week 3, the media may focus on whether or not it’s for good this time. The real story would be that the Eagles won’t have an experienced back-up as they try to win the most competitive division in the NFL.

6. Even worse, Favre could end up playing without his heart really being in it. This is what happened last year, with him giving the most that he felt he could yet him regretting his decision, which can’t make for the right mindset for a quarterback nor did it inspire his teammates. Favre might not be able to help it when he loses (some of?) his desire, but that’s not a position he should put the Eagles in.

Senior writer jclombardi–NFLPA vote Monday & NFL season timeline.

Clipped from: espn.go.com (share this clip)

NFLPA vote Monday & NFL Timeline: NFL owners and players have tentatively agreed to a plan that would allow for the players’ executive committee to vote on Monday to recommend accepting the CBA and recertifying as a union, a source said Saturday. According to the source, progress in talks with the owners has put the 11-member NFLPA executive board in position to vote Monday to recommend the 10-year collective bargaining agreement the owners ratified Thursday. Under the plan, players would then begin reporting to training camps as early as Wednesday to physically vote on whether to recertify, with the hope that it will be done by Friday at the earliest, the source said.  If the executive committee accepts the new CBA, players from certain teams would be allowed to report to training camps on Wednesday and players from other teams will be asked to report to camps Friday. The hope from both sides is there are enough votes to recertify the union by as early as Friday. Therefore, under this tentative schedule for recertification, the pre-league year buffer period could start Wednesday. Under that scenario, teams could potentially open contract talks with their unrestricted free agents, restricted free agents and draft choices although deals would not be able to be signed until the weekend. In that scenario, teams would also be able to renegotiate contracts with players from their own team starting as early as Wednesday. Upon recertification of the union, free agency could start at 2 p.m. ET on July 30 and rosters could expand to 90.

NFL owners and players have supposedly agreed to a plan that would call for the players’ executive group to vote on Monday to strongly consider accepting the CBA and recertifying as a union, a source said Saturday.

According to the source, movement in talks with the owners has put the 11-member NFLPA executive board in a spot to vote Monday to approve the 10-year collective bargaining agreement the owners came to conclusion on Thursday.

Under the new work, players would then start heading to training camps as early as Wednesday to physically vote on whether to recertify, with the potential that it will be official by Friday at the earliest, the source said.

Upon recertification of the union, free agency could launch at 2 p.m. ET on July 30 and rosters could stretch out to 90 players.  Still undecided is when undrafted free agents would be able to ink contracts.