Tim Tebow Thread: To the Jags TE Convert

[dustyroads]

I don't think it's anything personal with Tebow. He's a hard worker and seems like a good guy overall.

But, he hasn't played an NFL snap in 9 years, and just made a roster at a completely different position. How can that be explained by anything except privilege and sports-nepotism?

I guess it depends on how you define "privilege". Certainly has become a hot button word the past few years typically associated with race, which I don't think this has anything to do with. If you mean it in just general definition, I still disagree due to the general context that it's somehow not earned. We could very well diverge opinions at this point, and while I can understand your stance, I disagree. Team's pick up and retain "hometown" players and fan favorites often. Team's also pick up and retain "locker room presence" guys often. This isn't any different at face value from those countless scenarios with the exception that it's an exceptionally high profile person who for some reason is polarizing to the football fanbase. Maybe it isn't how you intended, but it's certainly coming across to me that you feel strongly against this and that it's somehow unfair/unearned. Well I think his college football accolades, his connection to the coach and people of Florida, his character and work ethic, etc. are all how he has earned the chance. And at the end of the day, taking a step back, this is the way the world works. Organizations hire with-in, hire relatives, hire people they worked with before, people recommended by people they trust. To act shocked now seems like it has much more to do with Tebow himself then trying to rally against nepotism in the job market.

I absolutely think it's unearned.

Who cares about what Tebow did in college? He was drafted, had a three-year NFL career and flamed out. He hasn't played a snap in 9 years. What type of meaningful locker room presence can he provide without any NFL production to a a group of grown bleep men, most of whom are better football players than him.

If you wanted to make Tebow an assistant or coach, then fine. I don't think that's a weird transition to being an NFL coach at all.

But, saying he's worth a roster spot after an almost 10-year hiatus from playing an NFL snap doesn't vibe, especially when it's at a position where he has no professional experience playing. There are likely undrafted TEs available who are better.

Still has more playoff wins since 2010 than the Bengals, Lions, Raiders, Dolphins, and the WFT lol.... But for real; he hasn't (and probably won't) make the 53 man roster, so he hasn't been handed anything other than an opportunity. And while you can make valid arguments his talent/skill didn't earn it; the image/character/persona he's worked on cultivating and built over the years has. Again, not the only guy who was given a chance based on intangibles.

He could without a doubt be used like Taysom Hill, especially in RZ packages where he has proven in the NFL to be a valuable asset to get scores. And to act like he isn't a locker room presence is daft, likely purposely so. Especially in Florida. Anyone from Florida would tell you if he does somehow make the roster, the crowd is likely to give him an even bigger ovation than Lawrence during the home opener. To pretend like all that doesn't matter seems to completely ignore the fact that the NFL and these teams are a business.

While winning championships (or putting up fantasy points) is what may be most important to fans and to us; making money is most important to the teams. It's why the Cowboys generate more profit and have been the most "valuable" team for over a decade despite winning only 3 playoff games in the past 25 years. Tebow getting an opportunity to make the roster, trotting him out for the fans and having him around the rest of the team in the off-season, is a good business decision any way you cut it. There really is no downside. You can not agree; but insert The Big Lebowski "that's just your opinion man" meme here haha. Guess we'll just agree to disagree.

[Ice]

Just a theory of mine given his wild popularity in the area. Tebow obviously still thinks he can play and there are a few his age or older in the league.

Don't see a big downside bringing him into camp but I do think there could be upside.

Should be interesting to follow for a few months.

I don't see the upside in a 34-year-old who hasn't played TE before coming back to the league after almost 10 years off. If he decided to switch positions while he was in the middle of his NFL career, then I'd give it more credibility.

It's fine to call it what it is. Urban Meyer is doing him a favor that most (if not all) players in Tebow's situation would not get.

Well at the end of the day it is really only important if Jacksonville sees upside. The rest of us can have an opinion all we want but this time of year potential players are constantly coming and going through the swinging doors of the NFL trying to make a roster.

One thing we don't know is what kind of shape he is in but we do know he doesn't have many miles on his wheels.

It would be a great story if he makes it but he will have to earn a final roster spot; I have no doubt about that.

[Cameron Giles]

Still has more playoff wins since 2010 than the Bengals, Lions, Raiders, Dolphins, and the WFT lol.... But for real; he hasn't (and probably won't) make the 53 man roster, so he hasn't been handed anything other than an opportunity. And while you can make valid arguments his talent/skill didn't earn it; the image/character/persona he's worked on cultivating and built over the years has. Again, not the only guy who was given a chance based on intangibles.

There are players who were out the league for maybe a season or two and came back. That's not too uncommon.

Attributing a player who has not been on an NFL roster in 6 years and hasn't played a snap in 9 years, as "not the only guy who was given a chance based on intangibles" just isn't covering how odd this signing is.

The NFL is a bottomline league. Tebow was a 1st round pick, who didn't produce, and couldn't play the position well. He's now getting a chance to play a completely different position 9 years later as a 33-year-old.

For all intents and purposes, Tebow is not an NFL-talent, but he is clearly well-connected and liked.

He could without a doubt be used like Taysom Hill, especially in RZ packages where he has proven in the NFL to be a valuable asset to get scores. And to act like he isn't a locker room presence is daft, likely purposely so. Especially in Florida. Anyone from Florida would tell you if he does somehow make the roster, the crowd is likely to give him an even bigger ovation than Lawrence during the home opener. To pretend like all that doesn't matter seems to completely ignore the fact that the NFL and these teams are a business.

While winning championships (or putting up fantasy points) is what may be most important to fans and to us; making money is most important to the teams. It's why the Cowboys generate more profit and have been the most "valuable" team for over a decade despite winning only 3 playoff games in the past 25 years. Tebow getting an opportunity to make the roster, trotting him out for the fans and having him around the rest of the team in the off-season, is a good business decision any way you cut it. There really is no downside. You can not agree; but insert The Big Lebowski "that's just your opinion man" meme here haha. Guess we'll just agree to disagree.

I really don't think this makes a difference in Jacksonville's bottomline with an all-time great QB prospect coming to town.

[dustyroads]

I really don't think this makes a difference in Jacksonville's bottomline with an all-time great QB prospect coming to town.

I'd disagree. but I'm certainly no expert on marketing or finance. For now, it is really all speculation. We'll have to see. Maybe its a ploy to take some of the media heat off of TLaw? Maybe it's really just Meyer swinging his big stick around again to show it's his team and he'll do what he wants with it. Maybe it's what Ice was saying about getting him in the door to be a coach. Tebow was certainly stubborn about being a QB and limited his opportunities to just be a part of a team at another position in the past. Could be he's doing the same thing now with being a coach/assistant: "I don't wanna coach, I wanna wear a uniform", so this was a concession to just get him in the door in the hopes that he'll eventually give up on playing and put his skills to better use as a coach/assistant. Either way, it's certainly made the Jags news worthy. Between Watson, Rodgers, and now Tebow; the NFL is not going to be hard up for off-season story lines and drama. Getting some WWF/WWE vibes anymore with how much a spectacle football has become. Stereotypical old-man realization coming in hot, I miss when it was just about football, or at least mostly just about football and the occasional TO hosting a press conference in his driveway shirtless doing sit-ups lol

[Bronco Billy]

Every team in the NFL invites guys to camp who have a barely non-zero chance of making it to a roster spot. I’m not sure why this is any different.

Nothing to see here. Move along.

[Walter W.]

I always found it funny how many sports fans will defend/forgive the biggest scum bag athletes for a litany of offenses they commit; but so many hate on Tebow who has a pretty much spotless history. Don't gotta love him by any means, but he was one of the best college QBs to ever step on the field, and is a genuinely good person. Such a weird person to hate/get angry that other people love...

I don't hate Tim Tebow, I hate how the media can't shut the bleep up about him. I'm trying to watch NFL Net, and they have to squeeze him into an interview with Bob Papa about Trey Lance. "Let's talk about the 49'ers and Lance, blah, blah, blah. Oh yeah they play the Jags this year TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW." It's just tired. He was a below average QB in the NFL who rode a very lucky string of games to make the playoffs, then threw a 14 yard pass to Demaryius Thomas who stiff armed a dude and took it to 65 yards to the house, but TIM TEBOW beat the Steelers.

Ugh.

[Vcize]

Still has more playoff wins since 2010 than the Bengals, Lions, Raiders, Dolphins, and the WFT lol.... But for real; he hasn't (and probably won't) make the 53 man roster, so he hasn't been handed anything other than an opportunity. And while you can make valid arguments his talent/skill didn't earn it; the image/character/persona he's worked on cultivating and built over the years has. Again, not the only guy who was given a chance based on intangibles.

There are players who were out the league for maybe a season or two and came back. That's not too uncommon.

Attributing a player who has not been on an NFL roster in 6 years and hasn't played a snap in 9 years, as "not the only guy who was given a chance based on intangibles" just isn't covering how odd this signing is.

The NFL is a bottomline league. Tebow was a 1st round pick, who didn't produce, and couldn't play the position well. He's now getting a chance to play a completely different position 9 years later as a 33-year-old.

For all intents and purposes, Tebow is not an NFL-talent, but he is clearly well-connected and liked.

Exceedingly rare for sure. Unprecedented? I don't know if I agree with that.

Kurt Warner fits a lot of the description you just laid out. He was a complete washout in the NFL, cut as a rookie, and couldn't even make a roster after that. Was literally pulled off the grocery bagger line after being out of the league and working in a supermarket for 5 years, then walked onto the field and was basically a league MVP.

Yes, it's an extreme outlier. Obviously Tebow doing anything of note would be too (and I find it extremely unlikely just as everyone does). But it's not unprecedented.

Obviously 34 year old TE off the streets and 30 year old QB off the streets aren't the same thing, but I think people made a fair point about the NFL being a copycat league and Urban being a guy that doesn't exactly set up his teams to the status quo. It's completely possible that "TE" is merely a moniker for "Taysom Hill position", of which Tebow fits the mold at least somewhat.

Also I don't know how to look it up, but I bet there were some basketball players with little to no NFL experience that were given a tryout by teams at TE as well after they washed out of their basketball careers.

EDIT: Didn't even have to go to another team. Lance Kearse who played college bball and then played bball in Spain, before the Jags gave him a tryout 9 years after the last time he had put on a football helmet.

EDIT2: Erik Swoope was signed by the Colts as a TE despite never having played football at any level.

EDIT3: There are actually a ton of these guys. TE definitely seems to be a "no experience required" position when it comes to teams finding guys for the end of the roster.

[Bronco Billy]

Still has more playoff wins since 2010 than the Bengals, Lions, Raiders, Dolphins, and the WFT lol.... But for real; he hasn't (and probably won't) make the 53 man roster, so he hasn't been handed anything other than an opportunity. And while you can make valid arguments his talent/skill didn't earn it; the image/character/persona he's worked on cultivating and built over the years has. Again, not the only guy who was given a chance based on intangibles.

There are players who were out the league for maybe a season or two and came back. That's not too uncommon.

Attributing a player who has not been on an NFL roster in 6 years and hasn't played a snap in 9 years, as "not the only guy who was given a chance based on intangibles" just isn't covering how odd this signing is.

The NFL is a bottomline league. Tebow was a 1st round pick, who didn't produce, and couldn't play the position well. He's now getting a chance to play a completely different position 9 years later as a 33-year-old.

For all intents and purposes, Tebow is not an NFL-talent, but he is clearly well-connected and liked.

Exceedingly rare for sure. Unprecedented? I don't know if I agree with that.

Kurt Warner fits a lot of the description you just laid out. He was a complete washout in the NFL, cut as a rookie, and couldn't even make a roster after that. Was literally pulled off the grocery bagger line after being out of the league and working in a supermarket for 5 years, then walked onto the field and was basically a league MVP.

Yes, it's an extreme outlier. Obviously Tebow doing anything of note would be too (and I find it extremely unlikely just as everyone does). But it's not unprecedented.

Obviously 34 year old TE off the streets and 30 year old QB off the streets aren't the same thing, but I think people made a fair point about the NFL being a copycat league and Urban being a guy that doesn't exactly set up his teams to the status quo. It's completely possible that "TE" is merely a moniker for "Taysom Hill position", of which Tebow fits the mold at least somewhat.

Also I don't know how to look it up, but I bet there were some basketball players with little to no NFL experience that were given a tryout by teams at TE as well after they washed out of their basketball careers.

EDIT: Didn't even have to go to another team. Lance Kearse who played college bball and then played bball in Spain, before the Jags gave him a tryout 9 years after the last time he had put on a football helmet.

EDIT2: Erik Swoope was signed by the Colts as a TE despite never having played football at any level.

EDIT3: There are actually a ton of these guys. TE definitely seems to be a "no experience required" position when it comes to teams finding guys for the end of the roster.

Hell, look at TE Sammis Reyes this year. He’s got a late 5th round ADP in ppr leagues and he’s never played a down of organized football in his life.

[Shoreline Steamers]

If by some chance he does make the opening day roster, I am preparing myself for the onslaught of criticism, anger, and disbelief when Tebow pushes in a TD from the 1-yard line.

The Etienne and JRob owners would be beside themselves if Tebow somehow becomes Meyer's version of Taysom Hill. Who's getting the short-yardage TD's in that scenario? It would be difficult to predict, and frustrating for all.

[Ice]

There are players who were out the league for maybe a season or two and came back. That's not too uncommon.

Attributing a player who has not been on an NFL roster in 6 years and hasn't played a snap in 9 years, as "not the only guy who was given a chance based on intangibles" just isn't covering how odd this signing is.

The NFL is a bottomline league. Tebow was a 1st round pick, who didn't produce, and couldn't play the position well. He's now getting a chance to play a completely different position 9 years later as a 33-year-old.

For all intents and purposes, Tebow is not an NFL-talent, but he is clearly well-connected and liked.

Exceedingly rare for sure. Unprecedented? I don't know if I agree with that.

Kurt Warner fits a lot of the description you just laid out. He was a complete washout in the NFL, cut as a rookie, and couldn't even make a roster after that. Was literally pulled off the grocery bagger line after being out of the league and working in a supermarket for 5 years, then walked onto the field and was basically a league MVP.

Yes, it's an extreme outlier. Obviously Tebow doing anything of note would be too (and I find it extremely unlikely just as everyone does). But it's not unprecedented.

Obviously 34 year old TE off the streets and 30 year old QB off the streets aren't the same thing, but I think people made a fair point about the NFL being a copycat league and Urban being a guy that doesn't exactly set up his teams to the status quo. It's completely possible that "TE" is merely a moniker for "Taysom Hill position", of which Tebow fits the mold at least somewhat.

Also I don't know how to look it up, but I bet there were some basketball players with little to no NFL experience that were given a tryout by teams at TE as well after they washed out of their basketball careers.

EDIT: Didn't even have to go to another team. Lance Kearse who played college bball and then played bball in Spain, before the Jags gave him a tryout 9 years after the last time he had put on a football helmet.

EDIT2: Erik Swoope was signed by the Colts as a TE despite never having played football at any level.

EDIT3: There are actually a ton of these guys. TE definitely seems to be a "no experience required" position when it comes to teams finding guys for the end of the roster.

Hell, look at TE Sammis Reyes this year. He’s got a late 5th round ADP in ppr leagues and he’s never played a down of organized football in his life.

Rico Gathers is probably upset he wasn't even mentioned as a 6th round TE draft pick fresh off the Baylor basketball team in 2016.

[dustyroads]

I always found it funny how many sports fans will defend/forgive the biggest scum bag athletes for a litany of offenses they commit; but so many hate on Tebow who has a pretty much spotless history. Don't gotta love him by any means, but he was one of the best college QBs to ever step on the field, and is a genuinely good person. Such a weird person to hate/get angry that other people love...

I don't hate Tim Tebow, I hate how the media can't shut the bleep up about him. I'm trying to watch NFL Net, and they have to squeeze him into an interview with Bob Papa about Trey Lance. "Let's talk about the 49'ers and Lance, blah, blah, blah. Oh yeah they play the Jags this year TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW." It's just tired. He was a below average QB in the NFL who rode a very lucky string of games to make the playoffs, then threw a 14 yard pass to Demaryius Thomas who stiff armed a dude and took it to 65 yards to the house, but TIM TEBOW beat the Steelers.

Ugh.

Very fair lol. And as a Steelers fan, I feel the sting of the bolded quite often. I think the media frenzy was part of the Jags plans, or they at least knew it would result from bringing him in.

[dustyroads]

If by some chance he does make the opening day roster, I am preparing myself for the onslaught of criticism, anger, and disbelief when Tebow pushes in a TD from the 1-yard line.

The Etienne and JRob owners would be beside themselves if Tebow somehow becomes Meyer's version of Taysom Hill. Who's getting the short-yardage TD's in that scenario? It would be difficult to predict, and frustrating for all.

If by some off-chance he does make the final 53; this will without a doubt be a talking point in the fantasy/dynasty community and I will love watching the world burn (as a non-owner of any of them of course)

[Bronco Billy]

I’m guessing he’s being brought in as a QB whisperer for TLaw to teach him how to play QB at the NFL level.

[dustyroads]

I’m guessing he’s being brought in as a QB whisperer for TLaw to teach him how to play QB at the NFL level.

"Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." Just a joke to any teachers I may have just offended.

[Ray Finkle]

I like seeing someone like Tebow get a job because of who he is, rather than the plethora of turds like AB we’ve seen get jobs despite who they are.