Should we wait on Favre or should Favre wait on us?

Relax. If Brett Favre decides not to return in 2010, most of these mediocre free-agent quarterbacks still will be available. Plus, there isn't a college player in the upcoming draft that could step in and play the position immediately. So unless you want to get involved in the Donovan McNabb sweepstakes, what's the rush?

Allow Mr. Favre all the time he needs. And make sure a club employee is in Hattiesburg to peel grapes, wash the truck, gut deer, scale fish and otherwise tend to whatever else Mr. Favre might need.

Everyone has it backwards. It's time for the Vikings, not Favre, to make a commitment. The Vikings need to show how serious they are about improving the team in 2010. Based on how that goes, Favre will make his decision.

The guy was a miracle-worker last season. He was supposed to come here and hand off to Adrian Peterson. Instead, he ended up taking over the show and leading the Vikings to what should have been a Super Bowl triumph. Minnesota would have been in the Super Bowl if not for having 12 men in the huddle after a timeout late in the NFC title game. The penalty pushed Ryan Longwell out of winning field goal range with regulation time about to expire, and from there a battered Favre could do no more.

As it turned out, the Indianapolis Colts were beatable. That NFC championship game against New Orleans turned out to be the ultimate "what if?"

When I last saw Favre after the Saints game, I thought there was no way he'd be back.

But the fact that he even is considering playing another season is good news. There isn't a free-agent quarterback out there that could come in and perform nearly as well. Meanwhile, several teams already have expressed interest in acquiring McNabb from Philadelphia. The price will be very high. And when it comes to handling pressure, McNabb is the anti-Favre.

All this worry about being able to plan for 2010 is silly. Any number of quarterbacks should be able to get the team into the playoffs. The question is: What happens after that? I think everyone knows the answer. And it isn't pretty.

Meanwhile, the upcoming draft features at least a half dozen, and as many as 10, quarterbacks with solid NFL potential: Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, Florida's Tim Tebow, Mississippi's Jevan Snead, Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen, Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour, West Virginia's Jarrett Brown and Texas' Colt McCoy probably top the list. The Vikings could get a real quarterback of the future in the second or third round.

It would be a bonus if that kid could study under Favre for a year. That would help set the position for the foreseeable future.

Favre's delay in making his announcement has nothing to do with money. He's got more than he'll ever need. Instead, he no doubt wants to see if the Vikings improve themselves enough to make another Super Bowl run. Favre had to do too much last season. And already several important players from the '09 team have departed via free agency.

If the Vikings really want to hurry him along in his decision-making process, they should make a splash by acquiring a big-name player or two. The team likely can improve its fortunes on defense through the draft. Offensively, a replacement for Chester Taylor is a priority. So is another blocker. A high-profile wide receiver would be terrific. Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin are a good start. Bernard Berrian was mediocre. Everyone else was less than that.

There was a report that Brad Childress already has been down to Mississippi to check on Favre, but that the two didn't discuss next season. Yeah, they probably exchanged gumbo recipes. Maybe they even set the spittoon 30 feet from the porch swing and had a contest to see who could nail it most often.

I'm sure Childress knows exactly where he stands with Favre. It's all about improving the team. The guy doesn't want to come back and take another beating for nothing. The bottom line is that it's time for the Vikings, not Favre, to get going. He remains their best option for 2010. And it's up to them whether he comes back.