Of all the new additions to Jacksonville’s roster this offseason, the one that seems to be capturing the league’s attention the most is a fifth-string tight end who hasn’t been on an active NFL roster since 2012.
Most of the national media has treated Tim Tebow like a sideshow since he arrived at Jags camp, but the 33-year-old former professional baseball player has quietly gotten to work. In an appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said that from what he’s heard, Tebow’s chances of making the team are fairly high.
“Is he going to make the team?” Rapoport said.”I was told 50/50. But he’s got the head coach in his corner, he’s obviously being brought on for a reason… they watched multiple workouts. I would imagine they think that he’s going to make it if they sign him.”
Timmy Tebow might be used as more than a traditional Tight End similar to the Taysom Hill role allegedly @Rapsheet thinks we need to come up with a new name for the position..
What are we thinking team? #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/6YMIjjRMK6
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 1, 2021
Rapoport also further propagated a rumor that was first reported by ESPN’s Dianna Russini, which claims that Tebow could see a role similar to the one held by Taysom Hill in New Orleans.
Hill, who lines up at receiver, tight end, on special teams, and even at quarterback at times, is generally considered a tight end or H-back, though there isn’t a good term to describe his role.
“I do think we’re going to see Tebow do that,” Rapoport said.
Though when he was signed he seemed like a longshot to make the team, it seems that Tebow may be doing enough at camp to earn a spot on the final 53-man roster.
That could, of course, be a bad sign for the development of players like James O’Shaughnessy and Chris Manhertz, but it could also mean that, as Rapoport suggested, coach Urban Meyer has something else in mind for his former player. Either way, Tebow’s odds of being on the roster this fall seem to improve by the day.