Jets planning to keep Tim Tebow as quarterback competition?

It’s been a foregone conclusion since the end of the regular season that Tim Tebow would not be back with the New York Jets. Not only was Tebow hardly used by the team throughout the season, but he was upset with the coaches for burying him on the depth chart and even reportedly asked out of the Wildcat offense.

Back in December, nearly every New York media outlet said it was a certainty that Tebow and the Jets would be parting ways. But the team has a new general manager, John Idzik, and he might not be as determined to release Tebow.

“Tim, as you know, he’s currently on our roster,” Idzik told season ticket holders on a conference call Monday, per the New York Daily News. “What we’re doing is we’re trying to increase competition at that position and positions across the board. So we’re going to let the competition play out. We’re going to see who we’re able to bring on board and let it play out this offseason and into training camp. So I think that’ll be healthy for all concerned, including Tim.”

Was Idzik being truthful? Is he really planning to keep Tebow? I suppose it’s a possibility, though I think something else was going on.

Last month, it was reported that the Jets would try to trade Tebow before releasing him. No team would surrender anything in a trade if they know Tebow will be available as a free agent, so it’s likely the Jets are trying to make it seem like they’re going to keep him in order to create some trade leverage.

We’re not buying Idzik’s comments, though I suppose there’s a slight chance they could always bring him back.

Helmet smack to Eye on Football