FanHouse Aaron Rodgers

Retired NFL quarterback Trent Green is the first-ever guest columnist of MMQB, filling in while Peter King is on vacation. Green provided an interesting read on subjects relating to the league's personal conduct policy, concussions and the expanded season. And of course it wouldn't be a MMQB without a healthy dose of Favre thrown in for good measure.

What jumps out of Green's article is his prediction that 10 quarterbacks will have over 4,000 yards passing this season. He says six are a lock to do it (Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Kurt Warner, Phillip Rivers and Aaron Rodgers), and seven have the potential to do it (Jay Cutler, Matt Cassel, Carson Palmer, Matt Schaub, Donovan McNabb, Tony Romo, Matt Hasselbeck).

Let's put this prediction in context:

Yes, it's Brett Favre again. You know you can't live without him.

As more rumors circulate, and the vision of Brett Favre wearing purple gets closer and closer to becoming a reality, it stands to reason that current members of the Green Bay Packers will be asked for their thoughts on the matter. It's not likely that you'll hear many words of dissent towards Favre. That's just not the way most athletes speak nowadays. Instead, you can expect to see many guys take the high road, ala Aaron Rodgers, and others showing some love for their former teammate.

Update (June 24): Jennings' extension is officially done, according to a press release issued this afternoon by the Packers. No terms were released, other than that the deal is a "long-term" one.

The Green Bay Packers have developed a bit of a reputation. While general manager Ted Thompson has made clear through his actions (or lack thereof) that he doesn't like overpaying for free agents, he does like to reward his homegrown players with contract extensions.

While Nick Collins waits for his, wide receiver Greg Jennings is reportedly set to cash in.

It must be an interesting life for Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. After three years of dutifully serving as a backup quarterback, Rodgers awkwardly got his first chance to start last year when Brett Favre retired and tried to return only after the Packers had completed their offseason program.

Rodgers shocked many observers by staying healthy enough to start all 16 games, and he put up some pretty solid numbers despite his team's 6-10 season. With the onus on Rodgers and his team to continue getting better, they now have to deal with the possibility of Favre returning to play for division rival Minnesota. Fans continue to take sides, and Rodgers continues to take the high road on the matter.

We're well on our way to the inevitable. As much as Green Bay Packer fans may not want to think about it, Brett Favre, their 16-year icon, appears destined to play for the division rival Minnesota Vikings. How do the fans feel? Well, there are some who appear to be sticking with the team no matter what, while others are talking about following Favre wherever he goes -- even if that's to Minnesota. Who's right? Both of them have their points, which Bruce Ciskie will lay out as he essentially debates himself.

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We're well on our way to the inevitable. As much as Green Bay Packer fans may not want to think about it, Brett Favre, their 16-year icon, appears destined to play for the division rival Minnesota Vikings. How do the fans feel? Well, there are some who appear to be sticking with the team no matter what, while others are talking about following Favre wherever he goes -- even if that's to Minnesota. Who's right? Both of them have their points, which Bruce Ciskie will lay out as he essentially debates himself.

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Good news: the Vikings are still in the running for Brett Favre. Despite reports, head coach Brad Childress hasn't given Favre a deadline and even admitted that he's "anxious to see exactly what he's got left in that cannon because he had a pretty good arm as we know."

Yeah, if this is 2007.

FanHouse's crack squad of savvy fantasy football personnel put our five heads together and amassed consensus rankings for non-keeper, standard scoring leagues. We'll update as the season gets closer, but this is our "incredibly early yet still fun" version.

Was last season the year of the quarterback or what? You still had the old reliables like Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Kurt Warner and Donovan McNabb doing their thing, but a whole new crop of passers have elevated themselves. Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers and Jay Cutler led the way for the youth movement. You could have even waited toward the end of your draft and landed stud QBs in Matt Ryan and Tyler Thigpen (who would have been waiver-wire fodder). Team all that with Tom Brady's Week 1 injury, and we had a really interesting season. Let's see how they fall out presently for 2009.

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No one doubts the primary draft needs of the Green Bay Packers. After a 6-10 season where the offense performed fairly well and close games were sabotaged by the defense's inability to generate late-game stops or turnovers, the Packers have to get better on that side of the ball.

However, general manager Ted Thompson has always been a "best player available" kind of guy. Examples of this could be found in 2005, when the Packers drafted Aaron Rodgers in the first round, and in 2007, when Justin Harrell was the pick. They weren't areas of need, instead the best players on the board.

First, the Green Bay Packers expressed interest in Greg Paulus, the former Duke University point guard and high school All-American quarterback. Then, University of Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez had a meet-and-greet with Paulus about the possibility of playing in Ann Arbor this fall.

And today, there's this: Duke also wants in on the Paulus action. But unlike the Wolverines -- who could envision him as a quarterback in their spread offense -- Blue Devils football coach David Cutcliffe has no such plans. Nope, he'd like to kick the tires on Paulus, college wide receiver.