Tim Tebow hits speed bumps in Jaguars training camp

Making the transition from quarterback to tight end is no walk in the park. Nevertheless, Tim Tebow is giving it a shot. Although he made a positive impression early in training camp, he’s hit a few speed bumps in recent days. As soon as the Jacksonville Jaguars hired Urban Meyer as their head coach, it felt like just a matter of time before they pursued Tebow. After all, both have a strong relationship that goes back to their time at Florida.

At the time, it was fun to speculate what kind of role Tebow would have in Jacksonville. Would the former Gator join the team as a player? Would he be a member of the coaching staff? How about the team chaplain? In the end, he opted to work out as a tight end. The Jaguars needed (and could still need) help at the position, so signing the 2010 first-round pick kind of made sense.

Now, Tebow is facing an uphill battle to make the roster. Even though he’s in great shape, he’s 33 and has no prior experience playing tight end. Unless he shows he can contribute in 2021, the Jaguars are better off keeping someone who has a good grasp of the position. To his credit, he’s worked hard and put his head down since joining the team in late May. Also, he made a positive impression early in training camp. On the other hand, he’s hit a few speed bumps in recent days.

Tim Tebow is working out the kinks of playing tight end.

Making the roster isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. It’s true that Tebow displayed signs of growth but he’s also experienced a few setbacks along the way. You might have heard that most NFL players look great in shorts and coaches can’t really evaluate them until they put pads on. That was certainly true for the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner.

Tebow had no trouble catching passes but when he had to play against defenders, he struggled. Furthermore, he needs to work on his blocking skills and try to catch the ball with his hands, not his body, as Jamal St. Cyr of News4Jax has suggested.

Also, Tebow has been out for a couple of days with a non-COVID-19 illness, per Mia O’Brien of Fist Coast News. This is something he can’t control and it may not affect his long-term prospects of making an impact. Nevertheless, availability is the best ability in the pros, and every rep he misses will go to someone who will take advantage of it.

This doesn’t mean Tebow should just throw in the towel just yet. He’s displayed the athleticism to play the position and has also had positive moments in training camp. It’s just necessary to keep things in perspective. He’s one of many players vying for a spot on the Jaguars’ 53-man roster, and things won’t get any easier moving forwards. Then again, if Urban Meyer didn’t think he could make an impact in Jacksonville, he wouldn’t have offered him the chance to compete, so this isn’t the last time you will hear about Tim Tebow.