I know Tebow could be a specialist type short yardage back, Or even a Jim Jensen type utility back. I don't think he can be a Bell Cow type back, but then again nobody on the Jets looks like that right now so, where do the Jets go from here?
I think Tebow does several things for the Jets, that would make him a complete waste as a running back. He offers, IMHO, a lot that Sanchez will not and running back in general is a low positional value slot in the NFL draft and for most of free agency. There's a sunk cost in Tebow at QB, I think at this point, you have to ride it out and see where it goes. Here's where Tebow helps you as a QB1, and what you would lose if he was a halfback - 1) He will help with turnover differential. Tebow does many things poorly as a QB, but the guy has enough general sports IQ to limit his turnovers and limit most of the situations where turnovers are high probability. 2) He will open up the run game for Shonn Greene or Joe McKnight or anyone else the Jets have in the backfield. It becomes a question if Greene or the rest have the talent to take advantage of that situation. Tebow is a threat to run at all times. It's this mobility, plus some of his innate elusiveness, that negates some of his flaws as a passer ( namely to go tunnel vision on his primary read and his staggeringly poor ability to read and react to different types of coverages) It's once a play starts to break down, and defenders can no longer contain their lanes, based on that mobility, that Tebow becomes dangerous to a defense. 3) He makes Stephen Hill fantasy relevant. Hill is big, and fast and can go up and get the ball, but most importantly, he has good body control in the air, gets separation ( good release, no wasted movement, explodes out of his cuts) and has a very wide catch radius. Tebow just needs to throw it in the same area code, and Hill will get the ball. Tebow will go "tunnel vision" on one receiver during a play, that receiver is going to be Hill this season. 4) He makes Dustin Keller, and I think Jeff Cumberland even more so, as legitimate weapons in the offense. Tebow physically can adjust to the speed of the game. Tebow cannot mentally process what's going on in front of him fast enough for the speed of the game. When you are dealing with a Brees or Brady or pre injury Peyton Manning, you had guys who broke down the defense, recognized the coverage scheme, correctly predicted where the gaps in the defense would be, and immediately got the ball there. The process moves fast enough for them that it looks like a "reaction" instead of a deliberate process. Where Tebow did excel was when defenses went into prevent mode or wanted to limit big play/deep threat options for him. The defense deliberately gave him more time to process what he was seeing, and essentially gave him a longer "reaction" window. Where defenses will adjust now is, my guess, is more defenses will attack relentlessly even late game, focusing on "compression". Keep things tight around Tebow and he's less likely to cut a defenses throat. It's covering those running lanes while simultaneously staying in attack mode that will open up gaps for the tight ends to work as safety valve receivers. Cumberland is super raw, though athletic, but what he does well is he knows how to use his body to block out defenders to improve his chances to catch the ball. 5) Tebow's style of play wears out a defense. They constantly have to keep an eye on his ability to run. They constantly have to try to tighten up the field on him. He locks on, then if his receiver isn't standing on an island, he tucks the ball in his arms and then goes off to the races. But this time, he has John Conner, a vicious hitter, in front of him. He's got that offensive line in constant attack mode, out there slamming into people. If defenders get around his blockers, then Tebow himself, pretty much like a bull in a china shop, will start running over smaller defenders himself. Crazy as it sounds, I think Tebow works better making a middling team to a good team, but would be hard pressed to take a good team and make it a great team. This Jets squad is IMHO a middling team right now. With Tebow, fantasywise, I say uptick Hill and Cumberland. I think you need a coach with WCO pedigree to help a case like Tebow. Someone like Doug Pederson, currently with the Eagles, might be a good choice. Tebow is not a good quarterback in the classical sense, but I think the problem is people are too quick to assess that he brings nothing to the position because of that. A shift to RB would be a waste of a very versatile weapon.
Tebow is to NFL that Michael Jordan is to MLB.Tebow can't pass well. Pro-football has been around since 1892. The forward pass only since 1906. Tebow just needs a coach well versed in offenses predating the forward pass.
Give me a break. Tebow is a great "football player". He could play multiple positions. Guy is 6'3" 250lbs and strong as an ox.
EXACTLY! These people don't know what the hell they are talking about. Tebow is arguably the best QB in college football history.
College Football HoF QBs: Andre Ware, Gino Torretta and John Friesz are just a few examples of college greats that were NFL, "meh".Tebow would probably be outstanding in the CFL.
