Brett Favre in Vikings purple? The odds of that once unimaginable image could be getting better.

A source with knowledge of the situation confirmed Tuesday night that Vikings coach Brad Childress and Favre will meet at an undisclosed location later this week to discuss the possibility of the former Green Bay Packers great playing quarterback for Minnesota this season. ESPN first reported the story late Tuesday afternoon, crediting a source with direct knowledge of the discussions between the parties.

The ESPN report stated that there is a mutual understanding that sometime soon after the meeting, Favre will decide whether to sign with the Vikings and that Childress would expect him to participate fully in the offseason minicamps and training camps. Favre, who will turn 40 on Oct. 10, was never fond of participating in the Packers' offseason camps. The future Hall of Famer did not get traded to the New York Jets in time last year for that to become an issue.

One thing working in the Vikings' favor is that Favre is very familiar with the West Coast offensive system the team runs -- he directed the same offense for several years in Green Bay. He also is extremely close with former Packers assistant and current Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.

Perhaps the Vikings' biggest concern will be the condition of Favre's injured right biceps tendon, which played a role in his struggles late last season when the Jets won only one of their final five games. ESPN reported that Favre might believe his arm can heal on its own without surgery, and how the injury heals will be a factor in his decision.

While it's not known where Childress and Favre will meet, Childress very well could make the trip to Hattiesburg, Miss., to talk at Favre's home. Vikings officials could not be reached to comment Tuesday, and Favre's agent, Bus Cook, did not return calls.

This latest development came a week after Favre was granted his release from the New York Jets reserve/retired list and a day after he sent ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer a text message with an emphatic "NO" when Dilfer asked if Favre might play this coming season.

As recently as last Friday, Childress hadn't shut the door on Favre possibly landing with the Vikings. "We haven't [talked about Favre]," Childress said at the time. "It doesn't mean we won't. We talk about everything from what's going on in the United States on the front page today. ... We talk about everything. So, yeah, I'm sure we'll talk about it."

Despite Favre's insistence in February that he was done playing football, and even with the text message to Dilfer, many were skeptical that retirement No. 2 really was going to stick. Favre had called it quits in March 2008 after 16 seasons with the Packers but then changed his mind. Green Bay had little interest in seeing him come out of retirement and thus Favre set his sights on playing for the Vikings, the Packers' NFC North rival.

The Vikings were interested but the Packers made sure that didn't happen, denying Favre's request for his outright release, and eventually trading him to the Jets for what turned out to be a third-round draft choice. The split between Favre and the Packers was far from amicable and the quarterback's relationship with Green Bay General Manager Ted Thompson is one reason he likely would like to face his former team twice this season.

The Vikings will play host to the Packers in a nationally televised Monday night game on Oct. 5 on ESPN and then travel to Lambeau Field on Nov. 1.

Favre, a three-time NFL MVP, made an immediate difference with the Jets last season when they started 8-3. But Favre played the final five games last season with a partially torn biceps tendon and his production dramatically dropped off. He threw nine interceptions and only two touchdowns in that span, and the Jets fell out of the playoff race.

At his retirement news conference, Favre implied he might need arthroscopic surgery if he returned next season. ESPN reported that Cook is hoping to hire a former NFL quarterback coach to work with Favre in Mississippi while he considers a possible return. The network reported that Favre has not been working out but other reports have contradicted that.

It would be interesting to see how Favre's return would play in Green Bay. The Packers were so focused on getting Favre to stay retired in 2008 that they repeatedly tried to talk him out of returning and even offered him a "personal services contract" reportedly worth between $20 million and $25 million to stay retired and work for the organization.

Green Bay also filed tampering charges against the Vikings -- namely Childress and offensive coordinator Bevell -- accusing them of having "inappropriate dialogue" with Favre. The Vikings privately were furious over the charge, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell eventually cleared them of any wrongdoing in the matter.

The Packers, however, successfully blocked any realistic chance that Favre could end up in Minnesota last season by inserting a clause in the deal that required the Jets to give Green Bay three first-round picks if they traded Favre to the Vikings or any other NFC North team.

But the Jets gave Favre his release after they traded up in the NFL draft to select Southern California quarterback Mark Sanchez. That means Favre is free to meet with Childress and sign with the Vikings if the sides can agree on contract terms. The Vikings had been set to go to camp with Tarvaris Jackson battling Sage Rosenfels for the starting job, but Favre's presence would make Jackson and Rosenfels spectators for the time being.