With Peyton Manning retiring and Brock Osweiler signing with the Houston Texans, the Denver Broncos are in need of a new quarterback. While the Broncos recently traded for former Philadelphia Eagles backup quarterback Mark Sanchez, he is probably not the answer for a team that is looking to compete for a championship this year. As unrealistic as it sounds, rumors are heating up regarding the possibility of the Broncos bringing back Tim Tebow to compete for the starting quarterback job.
While Tebow has not thrown an NFL pass since 2012, his name is still often linked to teams that are looking for a quarterback. After being released by the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles in training camp over the past few years, it appeared as though Tebow’s hopes of making it back to the NFL were all but over. While his chances of making an NFL roster are still extremely unlikely, numerous NFL sources and analysts are once again floating around his name.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr , Tebow was actually expected to make the Philadelphia Eagles roster last year. While he was still not a great passer, it appeared as though he improved enough to at least be the third-string quarterback. Regardless of his improved play, he was quickly released after the Eagles traded fellow quarterback Matt Barkley to the Arizona Cardinals.
Should the Broncos try bringing back Tim Tebow? https://t.co/qpq4PEIlCF pic.twitter.com/DaCWNTsywH
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) March 11, 2016
While Tebow has never been questioned for his heart and effort, he has not shown that he can be a viable starting quarterback in the NFL. Even after winning a playoff game with the Broncos in 2011, John Elway and the rest of the team’s front office decided to move in a different direction. Whether or not Elway and those in charge believe that Tebow has improved enough remains to be seen, but that is not stopping the speculation.
According to ProFootballTalk , Tebow would actually fit in perfectly with how the Broncos are attempting to win — with a strong running game and elite defensive play.
“The Broncos’ official website recently declared that the team managed to win a Super Bowl with ‘sub-optimal, near-replacement-level quarterbacking.’ Isn’t that also the official Tim Tebow scouting report? The fact that Tebow previously played for the Broncos would make it very hard to justify bringing him back. But as Dolphins coach Adam Gase (and Broncos quarterbacks coach in 2011) explained it earlier this year on PFT Live , the key to using Tebow properly is to go all in with him. If the Broncos believe they can win with no passing game — and given the manner in which Tebow can enhance the running game — why not at least consider turning the offense over to Tebow and trusting the defense to keep things close? The chances of it happening are incredibly slim to non-existent. But the fact that the Broncos believe they don’t have to reach to fill out the depth chart makes it far more likely that they’ll sign a free agent.”
Honestly, could Tebow be any worse than Peyton Manning was last season? The Broncos won in spite of Manning, and that is great news for Broncos fans. While running back C.J. Anderson could be leaving for the Miami Dolphins, the Broncos will find a way, as they always do, to put together an elite running game. Since Manning did not give the Broncos much in terms of a passing game, could Tebow be any worse? At least Tebow has the ability to make plays with his legs.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr , the Broncos are also rumored to be interested in former New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. While Fitzpatrick is a journeyman, he did have an uncharacteristically solid year with the Jets in 2015. His asking price appears to be too high at the moment, but he would likely be a much better option than Tebow.
Imagine if Elway brought back Tebow to compete with Sanchez – for a 3rd time with a 3rd team. Poor Sanchez might need therapy.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) March 11, 2016
Sanchez & Tebow: ” wherever thou goest, I shall go”
— trey wingo (@wingoz) March 11, 2016
While Mark Sanchez is nothing more than a backup quarterback at this point, he is likely also a better option than Tebow. In addition to having more playoff experience, Sanchez knows what it means to be a game manager. While Sanchez has never made it to the Super Bowl, he has appeared in multiple AFC Championship games. As reported by ESPN , the Broncos only gave up a conditional draft pick, so Sanchez does not have any guarantees of starting.
The idea of bringing in Tim Tebow is always fun and exciting, but it is probably not the best thing for the future of the Broncos’ franchise. Regardless, the media loves Tim Tebow, and rumors will likely continue to come out over the next few months linking him to the Denver Broncos.
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