Before we start salivating over the possibility of Tim Tebow scoring a game-winning touchdown for the New England Patriots as a fullback against the New York Jets in Week 2, let us first remember that he may not even make the team. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the two-year deal Tebow signed with the Pats includes no guaranteed money.
If the Patriots feel that Tebow cannot help them win or the media circus is going to be too much to handle, they can simply release him before the season without losing a dime. In fact, the team stands to make a ton of money through the inevitable frenzy that is about to take place with jersey sales and merchandise.
Schefter also reported that New England did not sign Tebow to play a position other than quarterback, nor did they bring him in with the intention of taking a single snap away from Tom Brady. However, CBS Sports’ Mike Freeman reported on Monday that Tebow is going to “study a great deal at tight end” and could play a hybrid role. Freeman reiterated on Tuesday that the intention is not to make Tebow strictly a quarterback.
Naturally, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick provided zero insight as to how Tebow will be used in his introductory minicamp press conference on Tuesday morning. His answers regarding Tebow were incredibly short, and it was obvious he was trying to set the tone early and show writers and reporters they will be wasting their time by hanging around New England’s facilities all summer.
The only thing we know at this point is that Tebow is hardly a lock to even make the team. On one hand, you have people who believe he has been brought in to compete for a backup quarterback position, possibly even third string. On the flip side, you have a group of people who insist Belichick plans to use Tebow in a number of ways to add another element to the offense. We may not find out until the first snap of the regular season.
