Tim Tebow experiment comes to an end, Jaguars TE room take shape

The Jacksonville Jaguars knew it was a long shot but still gave Tim Tebow the chance to make the transition from quarterback to tight end. After a few months, they have seen enough and have pulled the plug on the experiment. The Jags announced they have waived Tebow, along with wide receivers Josh Imatorbhebhe and Tim Jones. They also placed defensive tackle Daniel Ross on the Injured/Reserve list.

This was never going to be easy for Tebow. From the get-go, it was uncertain whether he was going to be able to make the transition from quarterback to tight end. To his credit, he worked hard and put his head down. He was off to a good start early in the offseason but he struggled once the pads went on. In particular, his blocking and his pass-catching skills needed plenty of work.

In the end, Tebow showed he was still raw when the Jags played the Cleveland Browns in Week 1of the preseason. His blocking was subpar and he ended the game with no catches. Furthermore, he didn’t appear in any special teams snaps, which hindered his chances of making the roster.

After being released, the Heisman Trophy winner posted a message on social media thanking the Jaguars organization for giving him a chance. Here’s the tweet in question.

Tim Tebow knew he was facing an uphill climb.

For a long time, Tebow resisted the idea of playing a position other than quarterback. A while back, he said that it wasn’t in his heart and wasn’t going to do something he didn’t feel comfortable with. That’s why it was surprising to see him announce his intention to make the switch to tight end earlier this year. More surprising was the fact that he was trying to pull the transition at 33 (he’s now 34). While that’s fairly young among the general population, it’s rather old from a football standpoint.

Had Tebow tried to play tight end at a younger age, he might have successfully made the switch. Logan Thomas entered the NFL as a quarterback and said that it took him a couple of years the work out the kinks of the tight end position.

While this may signal the end of Tebow’s football career, he won’t be hurting for work. He could join Urban Meyer’s coaching staff in Jacksonville or he could return the broadcast booth. Also, there’s the chance Jacksonville signs Tebow to their practice squad. This may not be practical though, as the Florida product has shown he has a long way to go.

How does the Jaguars’ tight end room look without Tim Tebow?

Tebow was never in consideration for a starting job. At most he could have been the fourth tight end on the Jaguars’ depth chart. Chris Manhertz, James O’Shaughnessy, and rookie Luke Farrell are locks to make the team. This leaves just one roster spot open and Ben Ellefson and Tyler Davis will have to compete for it.

Ellefson has had an outstanding training camp but Davis scored a touchdown against the Browns. The roster spot might ultimately go to whoever shines in the following two weeks and the “loser” of the competition will most likely be stashed on the practice squad.

You have to give Tim Tebow credit. He knew the odds weren’t in his favor but still gave it a shot. He didn’t make it but he won’t question himself why he didn’t try. He should feel good about the fact that he gave his everything, and that’s something worth recognition.