I’ve returned to NFC North headquarters after a roundabout trip back from New Orleans, and I think it’s appropriate that we immediately establish our offseason Brett Favre Mission Statement, so to speak.

Favre told ESPN’s Ed Werder late Sunday that it is “highly unlikely” he will return to play in 2010. I have no doubt that thought represented Favre’s true sentiment at the moment, but frankly, we would all be doing ourselves a great disservice if we take him at his word.

We’re probably going to hear any number of reports depicting Favre’s mindset this offseason, but to me the precedent is already set. Favre has reneged on retirement announcements for two consecutive years, and he had one of the best seasons of his career after signing with a new team in mid-August. So to consider his career over anytime before August 2010 would be a foolish disregard of history.

I like the way Vikings receiver Bernard Berrian put it to Minnesota reporters Monday:

“It’s still early. Way too early. Brett is liable to change his mind five, 10 times down the road.”

Unless the Vikings acquire a prominent veteran starter before this summer, I think we all need to consider Favre’s return to Minnesota a real possibility. I still think the team’s top priority this offseason is to identify a long-term succession plan at the position, but that wouldn’t preclude an encore performance from Favre.

I’m not sure how the mechanics of it would work. But if you would have asked me last year at this time how Favre would navigate himself from the New York Jets roster, around the poison pill terms of his trade language and into Minnesota, I wouldn’t have been able to spell it out, either.

We’ll fold our coverage of FavreWatch into the larger context of the NFC North, but I think his importance to the division champions makes it the Black and Blue’s biggest offseason issue.