It's getting pretty close to the opening of NFL training camps, which means fall won't be far behind.

But for NFL players to get to the fall, they have to get through the summer.

That's easier said than done.

When I saw Brett Favre interviewed at the ESPYs last week, he hadn't made up his mind about returning — no surprise there — since his ankle was still bothering him.

At the time of the interview, it had been eight weeks since Favre had surgery and he was unsure it would be recovered by the opening of training camp.

No surprise, but why should it be? Training camp is around the corner. I'll give his ankle another month, say about Aug. 16 or so, and he'll be ready to go.

Why then? Because the NFL season will be less than three weeks away.

Favre is 40 and he doesn't want to endure the heat and physicality of practice and early exhibition games. He's shown in the past couple of seasons he doesn't need a lot of work to shake off the rust.

But this isn't just about Favre. NFL players aren't lazy or bored with practice. They're smart. Who wants to subject themselves to extra chances to get hurt?

Some coaches, including the Steelers' Mike Tomlin, have given their veteran players several days off early to ease them into the routine.

New York Jets cornerback Darelle Revis, arguably the best player at his position, might hold out for a new contract, even though he still has a couple of seasons left on his rookie deal.

He might have a point about getting less money than others, but he hasn't been in the league long enough to make a huge demand.

Also, if he misses a couple of weeks of training camp before grudgingly deciding to report, all the better.

Another ploy to miss camp is early retirement talk. Recall last year, when Baltimore wide receiver Derrick Mason said he was thinking of calling it quits.

He was talked into playing a short while later, missing some practice. At age 35, I can understand the mileage catching up to Mason, but he came back and caught 73 passes for 1,028 yards and seven touchdowns.

Not exactly the numbers a retired player might post, but he mentioned on a Baltimore radio show recently he plans to play a few more years.

You can't really fault the players. With year-round training, organized team activities and other sessions throughout the spring, it's no wonder the players are doing what they can to lighten the load.

It's unfortunate that tactics such as an injury, holdout or retirement — all serious issues — come under suspicion and could be construed as way to delay reporting to camp.

Sam Tallarico is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.