MANKATO - Give Antoine Winfield credit for honesty.

As the majority of Vikings players attempt to steer clear of saying if they would like to see Brett Favre in purple, the cornerback made it clear Wednesday the future Hall of Fame quarterback would be a welcome addition.

"I think it would be a great move for us, but I don't know if Green Bay would trade him to a division rival," Winfield said. "Favre is still a great player. That's what you want to do in this league is add as many great players as you can. I think Tarvaris will do a great job for us if it doesn't happen."

Tarvaris, of course, is Vikings starter Tarvaris Jackson. The quarterback was one of several veterans who did not report to camp while the media was assembled outside Gage Center from 3:30 to 8 p.m. With the first practice not scheduled until Friday morning and meetings set for today, players were not required to arrive in Mankato until this morning.

It was hard to find blame with them for wanting to avoid the inevitable questions surrounding Favre, who wants to end his four-plus month retirement and reportedly would like to play for the Vikings. Favre's desire is to have his longtime team, the Green Bay Packers, release him because that organization has made it clear Aaron Rodgers is now its starting quarterback.

The Packers won't do that because they don't want Favre signing with an NFC North foe. Green Bay, meanwhile, also has filed tampering charges against the Vikings. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Tuesday that cell phone records showed discussions between Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and Favre as well as Vikings coach Brad Childress and the quarterback.

Bevell, who appeared only briefly outside of Gage Center on Wednesday, was a member of the Packers coaching staff from 2000 to 2005, and he and Favre have remained friends. Proof of phone calls from Favre to Childress, though, could present an issue. The NFL had members of its security department at Winter Park on Tuesday to interview Vikings officials about the charges.

Childress, in his first comments since the Packers' decision to file tampering charges were reported last week, was cool and calm as he answered questions.

"You can't believe everything you read, but that's an NFL matter," he said when asked if he had spoken to Favre. "I'm not going to touch that one. But I am excited to get here to Gage Hall if you can imagine that."

Childress said he was "not obligated to" tell the media if he had talked to Favre since the quarterback announced his retirement in March. "They are handling all that league-wise," Childress said. "They do a good job with that."

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reportedly has stepped into the situation and wants to see the Packers actively shop Favre's rights. The Journal Sentinel reported the Packers "have contacted almost every team in the league with the exception of NFC North clubs and a few teams with established quarterbacks such as Indianapolis, New England and Dallas to gauge interest."

Childress, meanwhile, almost certainly will make it clear to his players today to keep the focus on Jackson and the members of the Vikings who are in Mankato. The Vikings, if found guilty of tampering, could face penalties that include the loss of draft picks and fines. That, of course, is beyond the players control.

"All my boys ask me when I'm at home, 'Are you guys going to get Brett Favre?'" nose tackle Pat Williams said. "I say, 'If we do, we do. If we don't, I'm going to ride with Jackson. I live and die with Tarvaris Jackson. I have a lot of confidence in him."

Veteran receiver Bobby Wade acknowledged the Favre talk -- no matter how far-fetched -- could be a distraction but added: "It just depends on how we handle it."

Childress elected to handle it with a bit of humor on Wednesday when asked if he was excited to get going despite the controversy. "I'm not sure what controversy you're talking about," he said.

But Winfield acknowledged this is just the latest issue to bring attention to his team. "There's always some controversy with the Minnesota Vikings," he said.