GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers aren't about to let Brett Favre become a free agent. And while he's now free to return to Green Bay for another season, there's no guarantee he'll be the Packers' starting quarterback if he does.

In an interview with The Associated Press yesterday, Packers general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy said they don't plan to grant Favre the release he is seeking from his contract and are committed to Aaron Rodgers as their starter.

"We've communicated that to Brett, that we have since moved forward," Thompson said yesterday, in his first public comments since Favre requested to be released this week. "At the same time, we've never said that there couldn't be some role that he might play here. But I would understand his point that he would want to play."

And if Favre wanted to play for the Packers, he had the chance when he told them a few weeks after his tearful goodbye news conference that he was having second thoughts. With Thompson and McCarthy preparing to board a private plane to fly to Mississippi and seal the deal on a comeback, all Favre had to do was say yes.

He didn't.

"Ted always wanted Brett back," McCarthy said. "We always wanted Brett back."

A message left by the AP with Favre's agent, Bus Cook, was not immediately returned.

Favre, who led the Packers to a Super Bowl title after the 1996 season, held a tearful news conference to announce his retirement March 6. Favre has made high drama out of his waffling over retirement in the past several offseasons, but it seemed to be for real this time.

With Favre not being offered a defined role with the Packers if he returns at this point, and the team not inclined to release Favre so he could sign with a division rival, a trade may be the best resolution.