After just one season as a member of the NFL’s New York Jets, third-year quarterback Tim Tebow was released by the club on April 29. The winner of the Heisman Trophy in 2007 joined the Jets from the Denver Broncos in 2012 after New York sent a pair of draft choices to Denver. The move didn’t surprise the player or fans though as it was expected to happen sooner rather than later after the Jets went 6-10 last season.
The Jets still have Mark Sanchez as their starting quarterback, but his future with the team could also be on the bubble. John Idzik, the general manager of the Jets, is trying to get his club back on track and the quarterback position appears to be his number one priority at this moment. The Jets chose quarterback Geno Smith from West Virginia in the NFL Draft with the 39th selection overall and then three days later said goodbye to Tebow.
With the selection of Smith, some insiders feel the Jets may also let Sanchez go if he doesn’t improve this season. However, the club has already announced that Sanchez will be a member of it at least throughout the pre season. It’s believed Sanchez will remain with the team since it would cost New York $8.25 million to release him. The Jets will head into the pre season schedule with Sanchez, Smith, Greg McElroy, Matt Simms, and David Garrard as their quarterbacks.
Tebow is now free to join another NFL club after spending most of last season watching from the sidelines. He never seemed to earn the confidence of head coach Rex Ryan last year even when Sanchez struggled. Tebow is seen by many as an NFL-caliber player and could end up with another team in the near future. The Montreal Alouettes of the CFL (Canadian Football League) are also reportedly interested in him.
David Caldwell, the general manager of Jacksonville, said even though it’s Tebow’s home town, he won’t end up there with the Jaguars. He could interest Marc Trestman, the new coach of the Chicago Bears, but Tebow would have to back up starter Jay Cutler. Trestman has worked with Tebow before at the Senior Bowl as well as before the 2010 draft and said he’s very impressed with Tebow’s abilities and work ethic.
The San Diego Chargers could be another possibility as quarterback Philip Rivers struggled last season, but new head coach Mike McCoy will likely go with him against next season. McCoy worked with Tebow in Denver though and knows how good he can be when he’s on his game. Tebow led Denver to the playoffs in 2011 and McCoy hasn’t forgotten that. It’s possible that San Diego would take a chance on Tebow as he could seriously challenge Rivers for the starting job.
Since Tebow hails from Florida it’s possible that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be interested in him. He’s attract a lot of fans there even if he’s used as starting quarterback Josh Freeman’s backup. Tampa Bay currently has Adam Weber and Dan Orlovsky as backups along with Mike Glennon, a third-round draft choice. Tebow shouldn’t have a problem reaching number two on the team’s depth chart.
A long shot would be to join the New England Patriots to back up starter Tom Brady. It’s possible that he could play on special teams as well as a fullback/tight end. Another long shot could be ending up in the CFL with the Alouettes as they hold Tebow’s negotiating rights in the Canadian league. Wherever Tebow ends up, he’s surely going to attract a lot of attention.
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