This is the second blog post I've written about Tim Tebow, an athlete I often complain is overcovered. And 1. I don't write that much; 2. This isn't exclusively a sports blog; 3. It's not like there aren't a million opinions already formed about Tim Tebow. But with the recent signing of Peyton Manning to join the Broncos, trade rumors have swirled around Mr. Tebow and where he will play next year. And the answer isn't really that difficult to figure out--he's going to be a Denver Bronco.
It's an extremely silly question as far as I'm concerned, to ask whether or not signing Peyton Manning is the right thing to do given the presence of Tim Tebow. Well, why weren't people asking the same things about other teams? Wouldn't Matt Hasselbeck and Jake Locker be deflated if he went to Tennessee? Nobody (not even Skip Bayless) disputes that a healthy Peyton Manning is better than a healthy Tim Tebow, so why are we so concerned about what Tebow thinks? Now I'm a Rams fan and a Sam Bradford fan, but do you think I'd turn down Peyton Effing Manning? Hell no. Unless you're a fan of the Patriots or the Saints or the Packers or some other team like this, are you going to object to Peyton on your team?
Well anyway, now it seems Tim Tebow won't be starting for Denver in 2012. Which fuels trade rumors. So let's look at the top teams suggested as possible trade destinations for Tebsus.
Jacksonville: By trading for Tim Tebow, Jacksonville would essentially be giving up on Blaine Gabbert. Why would they trade for a 24 year-old quarterback if they didn't intend for him to be their quarterback for many years? I still doubt the Chad Henne signing is a long-term fix, but are you really expecting that a dumpster fire franchise like the Jacksonville Jaguars will have Chad Henne, Blaine Gabbert, or Tim Tebow as its THIRD quarterback?
Miami: Miami makes marginally more sense because their two quarterbacks aren't young, but why would Miami sign a competent veteran in David Garrard while they have Matt Moore if they intended to lure Tebow? Sure, any Florida team is going to get increased PR from the arrival of Tebow, but with Miami it's not like they don't sell tickets. And I for one think Matt Moore is extremely underrated. Miami looked like they'd be in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes early in the season but then after Matt Moore took over, they ended up finishing 6-10, including 6-3 in their final nine games. I can't for the life of me see why they'd sign Garrard if they were going to make a run at Tebow.
Cleveland: Unlike Jacksonville and Miami, Cleveland only has one quarterback worth mentioning. But what specific reason do we have to believe that Cleveland would prefer Tim Tebow over Colt McCoy? Tebow was drafted before McCoy in the same draft but most projections had McCoy ahead of Tebow. Pat Shurmur's whole appeal is based on cultivating quarterbacks but primarily that was of pocket-type passers. Maybe Tebow is a McCoy equivalent. He hardly seems like an upgrade.
New England: The rumor seems to be because of Josh McDaniels. But Tim Tebow isn't Brandon Lloyd. He isn't dependent on McDaniels. And his greatest success in the NFL came under John Fox. And if he's going to be a backup for a few years, why would he go to be Tom Brady's when he can stay as Peyton's?
Denver: Let's be perfectly clear--Denver will need a solid backup quarterback to Peyton Manning. We don't KNOW that Peyton will be back to his old self. Tim Tebow, if nothing else, is a level-headed guy who seems willing to work hard, and studying behind Peyton Manning, the quarterback in NFL history who more than any other parlayed hard work into on-field success. Tebow knows the way Denver's personnel and coaches work and he'd do better there than anywhere else. And if he's going to be a backup anyway, Denver's the perfect fit. And it's not like Tebow was brought in as a top pick--having a first round pick as a backup for a little while isn't the end of the world. Denver knows this. Tebow knows this. And that's why he's staying in Denver.
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