You may have noticed that I was absent from a lot of the threads yesterday as I quietly watched the events of the day unfold. The deal was on, the deal was off, the front office were a joke, the Jets were a joke. I saw angry and unacceptable tweets from New York fans directly to Tebow, and I saw fans actually say they would become Buffalo Bills fans if we made the trade. The type of over-reaction that we have come to expect. However I also saw fans who welcomed Tebow with open arms, tweeted him to welcome him to New York. Analysed the deal and accepted it.
The New York Post have the package as a 4th and 5th round selection this year, but from all other indicications it is for the 4th and 6th round selections. I'm pretty sure we will be getting at least one 6th round compensation pick, so it's really for a 4th round selection.
I understand the concerns that a lot of fans have right now. We still need a RT, we still need a FS and we still need outside pass rush help. We also still have plenty of draft picks and more to come through compensation. We have the ability to make more moves and address these issues, as far as I am aware we are still very much interested in Atogwe, who if signed will offer a good short term fix until we can either locate a diamond in the rough or draft one. At the moment the options are slim at the position, both in Free Agency and the Draft.
However back to Tebow. According to the excellent New York Jets Salary Cap website the maximum that Tebow will count against the cap in 2012 is $1.1 million. He has a number of escalators in the contract, however the majority of these are reliant on him finishing the year in the top 5 in some passing catergories, playing 70% or more of offensive snaps, and playing 70% or more in offensive snaps in play-off wins.
Now onto the playing side. I like the idea of having Tebow in this offensive set-up. No he isn't the best Quarterback in the world but he is a great football player. Mark is the quarterback, will start the year as the quarterback and my bet is on that barring any injury, he will finish the year as the Quarterback as well. A lot of people wanted someone to push Mark, well now we have a guy who naturally pushes everyone around him. As specified by one former GM to the NY Daily News
"I think it’s a good move. He brings a spark to the offense," a former NFL general manager said on Wednesday. "Look at it like this: Tebow is a relief pitcher, a closer. There is nothing wrong with that."
It's a new wrinkle to an offence that was for large portions of last year, completely stale. I think we will see Tebow lined up everywhere. As the quarterback in a wildcat series, a threat to run, a threat to throw. As a H-Back running, blocking, out in passing paterns like under the old Joe Gibbs system in Washington. The guy is such a competitor you could probably put him at safety and he would do a job for you.
A lot of people have said that Mark doesn't need the pressure of Tebow. I disagree, I think it is exactly what Mark needs. People have commented that this is dangerous to our quarterbacks weak psyche, as an NFL QB and a QB who you want to take you to the Superbowl, you can't have a weak psyche. Will the fanbase cause the problems when Mark starts to turn the football over, and the calls start coming? well if we truly are going back to the ground and pound system will a wrinkle formation in there for Tebow....I don't expect Mark to turn the football over that much.
People are dying to point out why this won't work, why this can't work. Nobody barring a couple of fans are looking to see how this can work and how good it could be if it does. Competition brings out the best in players, and Tebow offers competition that will bring out the best in Mark. In short yardage situations we have a quarterback who can run an option and lower his shoulder to pick up that first down.
He can be the Tony Kukoc or Manu Ginobili of the football world. One of the best 6th men, a man to come off the bench and make an impact. We have the Godfather of the Wildcat running our offence, do you not think he is coming up with multiple ways to use Tebow now, ways that get the defence off balance. Ways that will mean that opposing defences will have to game plan for two sets of offensive fronts with 20 different wrinkles.
Antonio Cromartie tweeted he didn't like the idea, the secound new team mate he has that he's vocally been against bringing in and Joe Namath critisized the Jets for it (Joe Namath having a go at the Jets? shocker).
I haven't even touched on the financial benefits that will come from this move. The spike in team revenue, if you want to have a quick read about how it benefited the Bronco's, take a read at this Denver Post article
For once lets look at all the positives that can come from a move for a player who is one of the greatest competitors I have ever seen in any sport I have watched. If you haven't seen the ESPN documentary on Tebow, youtube it. The bottome line Jets fans, is that Tim Tebow is now a Jet; he's one of us. Lets welcome him and support him like we should any player that puts on a Jets jersey. We don't always have to agree with a move that the front office makes, but we should always give a player a chance to give us reason to not like it.
I'm sorry, but I just can't throw myself off the next bridge I see because the Jets traded a 4th round pick for a great competitor, a high character leader, an all around good guy, a QB who has a winning record and will do anything you ask him to if it means we are going to a win a football game. Sorry guys, I just can't get upset about this. I have nothing but belief and hope. I know a lot of you guys hate this move and are not even willing to give him a shot, so I'm ready for some criticism, but in this situation. I'm happy to take it.
Now for some short snippets from Tebow himself:
"I'm thankful they stuck with me through this whole crazy process," Tebow said during a call late Wednesday night, repeating several times that he was "excited" to be a member of the Jets and to play for coach Rex Ryan.
Tebow said he had a "great conversation" on Wednesday with Sanchez, adding that they've been friends for several years.
"My goal is to push him to get better, and to push myself to get better every day," Tebow said. "But I think we'll have a great working relationship. We'll have a great relationship off the field, and we've had that the last few years. He's such a classy guy and handles himself so well, and I'll be very honored to call him my teammate."