The strangest game of chess and/or chicken that the NFL, and possibly pro sports, ever has seen has moved on to the next level.

Unretired Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre has been reinstated, effective 1 p.m. Monday, and is heading to Green Bay on Sunday, landing just as the team is to scrimmage before a packed house at Lambeau Field.

So what does it all mean? We've all learned over the past month that the Favre-Packers story doesn't contain a simple formula. The only predictability is unpredictability, and it's becoming more and more clear that Favre secretly loves the chaos he has created and the attention he has garnered for himself.

Here is how this story could evolve over the next several hours/weeks:

1. The Packers could cut Favre
... and Jeffrey Dahmer soon could be playing ice hockey in his current spiritual residence.
The only sure thing in all of this is that the Packers are committed to not cutting Favre in the near term, because it almost certainly would lead to him signing with the Vikings or perhaps the Bears. After all, the Packers play host to the Vikings in Week 1. Why should the Packers make it any easier for the Vikings to get Favre ready for that game?

Then again, it could be that the Packers realize once Favre shows up that keeping him around for the next several weeks or possibly longer simply isn't an option. Or NFL commissioner Roger Goodell could squeeze the Packers to let Favre go if they can't find a trade partner.
Still, Favre getting his release before the end of August is unlikely.

2. Favre could take the money
The decision to hop a plane from Hattiesburg, Miss., to Green Bay on Sunday could be Favre's final power play in forcing the team to cave regarding whatever sticking points remain in the negotiation on that non-bribe bribe that presumably would preclude Favre from playing. (There have been conflicting reports regarding whether such a deal would allow Favre to play in 2008, but knowing the Packers' position it would be surprising if the $20-plus million "marketing" deal would allow him to play this year.) ESPN has reported that Packers officials believe Favre has been bluffing. ESPN also reports that Favre thinks the team has been dishonest with Favre and with the fans. If the latter report is accurate, it sounds like Favre won't be taking any deal from the club.

Favre joins Vikings AP file   Video: Vikings are ‘the perfect fit,’ Favre says   Video: ‘I didn’t want to say ‘What if’ ’ Curran: Win-win for Favre and Vikings Celizic: Worst flip-flopper in sports history Newsweek: Let's give Favre a break Live vote: How will Vikings do with Favre Live vote: Does this hurt Favre's legacy? Packers not shocked by Favre's move   Slide show: Tracking QBs who couldn't quit Timeline of Favre's career  |    Slide show Fantasy impact: Favre not a huge get Vote: Top star in Minnesota sports history?

3. The Packers could trade Favre against his wishes
Now that Favre has been reinstated, the Packers can trade his rights to any NFL team, regardless of whether he agrees to the transaction. And so a team like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could, for example, give up a seventh-round pick that becomes a third-round pick if/when he reports and a first-round pick if/when he leads the Bucs to the Super Bowl. A team like the Buccaneers also could pursue some of Favre's original signing bonus money if he refuses to report to Bucs camp and re-retires, just as the Buccaneers did after they acquired the rights of quarterback Jake Plummer in 2007.

The broader question is whether there's another team out there willing to turn this thing into a full-blown three-ring circus. And whether the GM who'd be pulling the trigger on such a deal is sufficiently secure in his position to withstand any public relations fallout, and/or sufficiently inclined to try to help the Packers get out of a tough spot.

4. The Packers could continue to work on a trade Favre will accept
Lost in the developments of the past few days is that GM Ted Thompson has been trying to swing a deal that Favre would deem acceptable. Presumably, that process ended when the Packers either asked for too much in trade compensation other teams didn't offer enough and/or Favre wasn't interested.

Still, if Favre truly wants to play for the Vikings, Bears or Lions -- he has said he only wants to play in the NFC North -- the best outcome in the short term would be for the Packers to trade him to one of those three teams. If, again, Favre will accept such a move.