Yesterday was a day to remember the career of the greatest athlete of my time. Personally, I had a glass of wine and watched a DVD of highlights. Today, Brett Favre is still retired, and the team and Packer fans needs to move forward.

The Packers went 13-3 this past season, and have a young and talented team. However, they currently have only one unproven quarterback on the roster.

Aaron Rodgers looked good in limited playing time last season, going 20 for 28, 218 yards and 1touchdown. However, The packers need to acquire two more legitimate quarterbacks to contend before the season starts in case Rodgers fails.

The free agent field is weak this year. Josh McCown is the best of the group, and might be a good fit for the Packers. Other possibilities include Daunte Culpepper and David Carr. The best opportunity for the Packers to acquire quarterback depth comes from their draft picks. General manager Ted Thompson will trade one pick to acquire an established quarterback, and draft another in the middle rounds.

There are some quality quarterbacks that fell out of favor with current coaches. Two candidates that have legitimate starting potential are Kyle Orton and Chris Simms.

Orton led the Bears to a 10-win rookie season before becoming the Bears third string quarterback. He proved he could play in the cold and snow this year, leading the Bears to a victory over the Packers. If the Packers could trade for Orton, they would take a prospect away from a division rival. The downside to Orton is he is in the final year of his contract, and would need to be resigned next year.

Simms is another quarterback that has lived on the end of the bench the past season. While Simms has never posted all-star numbers, he looked solid in 2005, leading the Buccaneers to the playoffs.

While the Packers undoubtedly will sign or trade for an established quarterback, they are also likely take one in the draft. It is unlikely they will take one high in the first round unless they have lost all confidence in Rodgers. Therefore, it’s fair to look at the “middle round” guys. Three prospects that stand out are Erik Ainge from Tennessee, John David Booty from USC, and Chad Henne from Michigan.

Rodgers is a young quarterback who will make some mistakes, but also gives the team their best chance to win now. However, it is always nice to have a contingency plan in case he should falter.