Third Team is the Charm?

Tim Tebow is getting yet another chance to continue his career in the NFL. After rampant speculation about where Tebow would end up, whether it would be then Arena league, the Canadian Football League (CFL), or if another NFL team would take a chance on the much maligned QB. Well, we finally have our answer. Tebow was picked up earlier this week by the New England Patriots. While I was, and still am, of the opinion that Tebow will never amount to anything in this league as a quarterback and is not deserving of another chance in the NFL, if there was a perfect spot for him to end up, it's New England. The Patriots are the ideal fit (if there is such a thing for Tebow) because they have one of the best coaching staffs in the entire league, there will be no pressure from fans or inside the organization to start Tebow, and because Tom Brady is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league to learn behind.

As a Dolphins fan, it hurts me deeply to say it, but I think it is obvious to anyone who pays attention that New England has one of the best coaching staffs in the NFL. Take one look at the successes their offense has had over the last decade with the paltry support staff that Brady has had around him. Aside from Wes Welker and one exceptional season from Randy Moss, the Patriots have have had absolutely no one of note in their wide receiver corps, yet every season Tom Brady is among the league leaders in both passing yardage and touchdowns. This can be directly contributed, in my opinion, to the skill of the New England coaching staff. They seem to have an incredible ability to get the absolute most out of every player on their team, regardless of how much talent they have. This is perfect for Tebow because he has a long way to come if he wants to be a quarterback in this league. His mechanics are flawed and he has a tendency to make terrible decisions. These are things that the coaching staff will be keenly aware of and if anyone can fix these issues, it's them.

Tebow and the Patriots organization should face no pressure to start him. Brady, at the ripe old age (by NFL standards) of 35, is still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Even if Brady has a bad game, there will be no clamoring for Tebow to come in and take his place, something that has plagued Tebow in both Denver and New York. This doesn't even take into account that Tebow won't be the back up. Behind Brady is Ryan Mallet and Mike Kafka, both of which should be ahead of Tebow on the quarterback depth chart. I will be surprised if Tebow is even listed as a quarterback going into the season. He's most likely going to be asked to move to tight end, a position that seems like it would fit better with his particular skill set. He will most likely still be a quarterback in practice and in the film rooms, but he should not be one on the field.

Being one of the best quarterbacks in the league, Brady is also one the best quarterbacks to sit and learn behind. Few quarterbacks in this league have the knowledge base that Brady does. He knows exactly where everyone is going to be at all times, both his guys and everyone on the defensive side of the ball. He understands every single coverage that you can throw at him, every single blitz package imaginable. He has seen it all and knows exactly what he needs to do to beat it. Sitting behind that kind of talent should have immeasurable effect on Tebow. Look at Aaron Rodgers, who sat behind Brett Favre and learned the position for four years. Favre is undoubtedly one of the top five QB's in the history of the NFL, and even though he had no desire to be an active participant in Rodger's grooming, the effect that learning behind him had on Rodgers is obvious. If Tebow is willing to let Brady have a similar effect on him, his dreams of being a quarterback in this league may yet come true.

Welcome to Canada

Tim Tebow has been cut by the New York Jets, ending (hopefully) what has been one of the biggest debacles in the NFL in recent memory. Tebow has, largely undeservedly, dominated the headlines and newspapers since he came into the league. Whether it's been for his "performance" on the field, his religious views on and off the field, or the rampant speculation surrounding whether or not he can play, Tebow has been on the minds of most people in football circles. With the move today, which was a certainty after the Jets drafted Geno Smith in the second round, hopefully all this can come to an end.

Tebow isn't very good. Anyone who watches the film honestly can see that. In his short career he managed to complete only 48% of his passes in a league where anything under 60% is bad. He threw for 17 touchdowns total while accounting for 16 turnovers (9 interceptions and 7 fumbles). But it's largely not his fault, his career was doomed almost from the beginning. The Denver Broncos made a huge mistake taking Tebow in the first round. He was not a first round prospect, and to heap that amount of pressure on a kid who couldn't live up to the expectations was unfair. Tebow was a GREAT college player, but anyone who watched him knew that his talents didn't translate well to the NFL, at least not at the quarterback position. John Elway thought he could fix Tebow, and I applaud him for trying, but the way he went about it was terrible for Tebow's career. He did Tebow no favors taking him in the first round, then at the first available opportunity bailed on the kid.

The Broncos aren't the only franchise who doomed this kid though. The Jets are equally, if not more, at fault for the demise of Tebow. Bringing the media circus that follows Tebow into the media circus that is New York City is a recipe for disaster, and I have to think that they knew that coming into the situation. Not only did they bring a young kid into a terrible situation, they gave up on him nearly immediately after bringing him into camp. They didn't even give him a chance to develop. They saw him in practice a couple of times and said "Well, how about this: You're going to run left, run right, run up the middle, or hand the ball off." No one took the time to sit down with him and try to develop him. No one put him into games and give him an opportunity to learn the offense and learn from his mistakes. At least in Denver, Tebow saw the field. In his one season with the Jets, Tebow threw precisely eight passes, completing six of them. Eight passes in a 16 game season. Tebow was listed as the backup to Mark Sanchez, yet when it came time to sit Sanchez down and bail on him, was it Tebow who was given the nod? No, it was third string quarterback Greg McElroy. If you're going to bring a kid into camp, shouldn't you at least give him a CHANCE to perform?

So, now the question has to be asked, what opportunities are left for Tebow? In my opinion, Tebow better prepare himself for a sign that says "Welcome to Canada", because the CFL is his best option. No NFL team is going to give him a chance to be a quarterback, something he is dead-set on being. If he's serious about it, he'll go to Canada, fix the mechanical issues that have plagued his young career, and try out for teams in 3-5 years.