New York Local News

By JEFF CAPELLINI, WCBSTV.com Senior Sports Producer
NEW YORK (CBS) ― Eric Mangini may say he really likes the quarterbacks he has in training camp, but that doesn't mean one of them will be the Jets' starter come September.

Not with a future Hall of Famer sitting around out there with nowhere to play.

According to various reports, the Jets have received permission from Green Bay to speak to Brett Favre.

Mangini told reporters on Thursday, the first day of training camp, that he was "very happy" with quarterbacks Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens, and was looking forward to a spirited battle for the starting spot throughout the rest of July and August.

However, Mangini confirmed Friday that he and GM Mike Tannenbaum have discussed many scenarios, one being the seemingly long-shot possibility of Favre coming to New York.

"I feel the same way I felt yesterday," Mangini told Newsday. "Nothing's changed but with any conversations me and Mike have ... Mike likes to talk about a lot of different scenarios and he enjoys a good chart, he enjoys a good graph, a lot of scenarios. That's what he does. That's what he's supposed to do. It's just normal discussions."

Pennington said Friday that Tannenbaum told him the team has talked to the Packers about Favre. It didn't sound like Tannenbaum assured Pennington that the Jets aren't interested.

"Bottom line, an organization has to take a look at every player available in this league. Period," Pennington said. "A general manager and a head coach is going to do everything they can do to make their team as good as they can make it. That's their job."

Tannenbaum would not confirm conversations with the Packers.

Pennington said he wasn't overreacting to the Jets' potential trade for Favre.

"My whole focus is on this camp," Pennington said. "Winning this starting quarterback battle, so I don't really have any thoughts. It's part of the business: speculation, calls, one organization calling another about players. There's nothing to be said. As a player, you never react until it's actually done."

Green Bay has intimated that it will not trade the retired legend to any team in its division or on its 2008 schedule. It is believed that the Jets, possibly Tampa Bay and maybe another team are interested in acquiring Favre's services.

The Packers have hinted trading Favre is the only option at this point because they are committed to Aaron Rodgers. It is believed the asking price for Favre is at least a conditional No. 2 draft pick or perhaps a No. 1.

At this point, the Jets figure to be a borderline playoff team this season, so the pick they would likely have to part with, if that's all Green Bay wants, would not be, in all likelihood, in the top 10.

Favre, who will be 39 in October, announced his retirement back in March after 17 seasons. At the time he said he was mentally drained and was done playing. However, speculation turned into fact earlier this month when reports started surfacing that he was itching to play again and was working out at a local school. According to an ESPN report, Favre is readying himself to report to Packers training camp.

The NFL is currently monitoring a possible tampering situation involving the Minnesota Vikings. Favre reportedly discussed his situation with the Vikings using Packers-issued cell phones, a charge that media reports out of Green Bay later refuted.

Favre is the NFL's all-time leader with 442 passing touchdowns and has thrown for more than 61,000 yards. He has never missed a game in his career.

Please stay with CBS 2 HD and wcbstv.com for more on this developing story.

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