--If Packers quarterback Brett Favre is traded, the Bucs may be the best fit and for a lot of reasons.

The Bucs may be in the NFC, but they are not in the NFC North. Coach Jon Gruden was a member of the Packers' staff under Mike Holmgren during Favre's first three seasons there.

In fact, Gruden picked him up at the airport when Favre was traded from Atlanta.

There is no question Gruden and Bucs general manager Bruce Allen have discussed trading for the future Hall of Fame quarterback. Gruden loves to collect quarterbacks, and outside of Peyton Manning or perhaps Tom Brady, there's no signal caller in the NFL he'd rather work with than Favre.

The Bucs have salary cap room to absorb Favre's $12 million salary.

Tampa Bay already has a 38-year-old starting quarterback in Jeff Garcia, who is in his final year and squabbling about an extension. Garcia missed three games last season with a back injury but made the Pro Bowl.

The Bucs also run a version of the West Coast offense that Favre has thrived in through his career with the Packers.

But a trade may not be likely for a multitude of reasons.

Start with the fact that Gruden's offense has evolved to the point where even former Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon didn't recognize it when he sat in on a quarterbacks meeting while working for CBS.

It's also getting too late to scrap all the work the Bucs' did with Garcia in the offseason. Oh, and Favre has told some people he prefers to play and practice in cooler weather. What's more, the Packers play Tampa Bay and they aren't likely to trade him to a team on their schedule. Green Bay plays in Tampa Bay in September.

The Favre saga will take some time to hash out. The Bucs go to training camp July 25.

CAMP CALENDAR
The Bucs report to the Celebration Hotel on Friday, July 25. The first workout is 8 a.m. on Saturday, July 26 at Disney's Wide World of Sports. They break camp Aug. 14.

Copyright (C) 2008 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.