Tim Tebow News: Should New York Jets Consider Bringing Back Ex-NFL Quarterback?
Midway through the 2014 NFL season, the New York Jets have been one of the worst teams in the league. Currently, the Jets are 1-8 and are right on schedule to miss the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.
The Jets have holes all over their squad, defensively and offensively. Head coach Rex Ryan will most likely be fired at the end of the season and general manager John Idzik hasn't done much to improve the Jets on the field. Quarterback Geno Smith has been struggling so bad this season that Michael Vick has been named the starter.
So what does the future hold for Gang Green?
A reunion with free agent quarterback Tim Tebow may not seem completely out of the question. Signing Tebow may just be the best option for the best price with such little risk.
In his first two seasons, Smith has thrown 19 touchdowns and 31 interceptions. Smith's 31 interceptions over the last season and a half are the most in the entire NFL. Smith cost the Jets a second round pick, while signing Tebow wouldn't cost the Jets any draft picks or high amount off the salary cap space at all.
Not only has Smith underperformed, but he's regressing. Smith has a career passer rating of 66.2, and 65.6 this season.
Tebow, on the other hand has a career passer rating of 75.3. In Tebow's 14 games started at quarterback he threw for 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions, while rushing for another 12 touchdowns. As a result, Tebow has scored 29 touchdowns and thrown nine interceptions in his 14 regular season games as a starter.
Not bad for a quarterback who "can't throw."
Tebow's shining moment came during the 2012 NFL playoffs. In the first round, Tebow and the Denver Broncos faced the No.1 ranked defensive team in football, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite almost no one giving them a chance to win and rumors that John Elway was ready to bench Tebow if he played bad after the first quarter, Tebow led the Broncos to a first round AFC upset in overtime, 29-23.
In that game, Tebow threw for 316 yards, had three touchdowns and a 125.6 passer rating. In overtime, Tebow made the game-winning 80-yard pass to Demaryius Thomas.
Tebow's time with the Jets in 2012 was uneventful. He started zero games at quarterback and threw just eight passes the entire season. Owner Woody Johnson obviously just signed Tebow at the time as a "circus act" and a way to draw more viewers. Despite the 2012 Jets winning just six games, fans chanting for Tebow, and Mark Sanchez throwing 13 touchdowns to 18 interceptions, Tebow never got a chance to start under center.
Now the Jets have a chance to sign the free agent quarterback. This upcoming NFL Draft isn't showing much promise with the quarterback position, and the Jets need to find a quarterback for the future.
Tebow isn't the most accurate passer in football, but there's three things he can give the Jets that no other available quarterback can. One, he is a reliable mobile quarterback. Vick is mobile, but he always gets hurt and he is aging. Vick isn't as fast as he used to be. Two, Tebow protects the football, as he has just nine interceptions in 16 games. Third, Tebow is clutch. Seven of Tebow's eight victories are late game-winning drives.
The advantage of signing Tebow is that he is still just 27 years old, and he won't cost much at all. Drafting a quarterback is always risky (as we're seeing with Geno Smith) and trading for a another quarterback requires giving away value.
With the Jets struggling now more than ever and so little quarterback options available, Idzik and Johnson should consider bringing Tebow back as a starter.
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