There are certainly a fair number of critics toward Jacksonville’s decision to bring in Tim Tebow as a tight end. The 33-year-old hasn’t been on a 53-man roster since 2012 and hasn’t played tight end since his freshman year of high school.
Among Tebow’s critics is former NFL coach Eric Mangini, who was the head coach of the New York Jets from 2006-08 and Cleveland Browns from 2009-10. On an episode of “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd, Mangini said that it’s too late in Tebow’s career for him to switch positions like this.
“Urban’s going through a learning curve with a lot of things…and this looks like one of those situations where he had a guy he likes and cares about and wanted to give an opportunity,” Mangini said to Cowherd, according to transcripts obtained from 247Sports. “As he comes in, looks at him and realizes, not just age, but the transition to a different position and the other skill guys he has available. It’s just not going to work. Maybe it works from a practice squad perspective, maybe he can keep him around in that way. Maybe he just wants the presence in the locker room and that becomes a practice squad type role, coaching in the locker type of thing. But it’s too late to make this transition and not enough to make it work.”
Tebow has long been considered a longshot to make the roster since his signing. Jags coach Urban Meyer didn’t offer much clarity when asked last week about Tebow’s odds of making the team, saying that his former player at Florida is simply “one of 90.”
As Mangini mentioned, Tebow could certainly be a practice squad candidate if he doesn’t make the 53-man roster, as the Jags’ thin tight end group could use a developmental prospect. The only question will be how much Tebow can actually develop at the position.
It’s clear most around the league don’t expect the Tebow experiment to be successful, and it’s fair to say there isn’t much reason to. But only time will tell whether he’ll have a role with the Jags come fall.