The Panthers have the read-option offense in their package and obviously like mobile quarterbacks. Their first backup QB is old; their second is poor ol' Jimmy Clausen. Seems like Tebow might be a good fit here as a backup, right?
Absolutely wrong.
I admire Tebow for the way he handles himself personally, and for his college career at Florida, and for the way he and John Fox somehow interacted so well in that one magical month or two in Denver (whatever you think about Fox, that was some serious proof that the guy can coach).
But Tebow here doesn't work. The biggest reason why is that his mechanics aren't very good and he's simply not a very good NFL quarterback. The second-biggest reason why is this: I wouldn't want the Tebow Circus to come to town. Cam Newton's psyche doesn't need the man who used to start in Florida in front of him peering over his shoulder in a meeting room every day.
Oh, everyone would put on a happy face about it if it came to that, but it simply wouldn't work. That's a dynamic that Cam once had in a flip-flop sort of way in Florida, when Tebow was the star and Newton the backup. But Newton has since established himself as a budding NFL star. To have Tebow in that QB meeting room every day would feel like a threat to Newton, I believe. And Tebow, as genial and well-meaning as he would be, couldn't help but be a distraction. (Newton, incidentally, is getting along famously so far with new QB coach Ken Dorsey).
Plus, Derek Anderson is better than Tebow (and he's only 29). He's way more accurate. He's a better decision-maker. Shoot, Jimmy Clausen is better than... OK, wait, I'm getting carried away. Tebow could be the Panthers' third-string quarterback. He's better than Clausen.
But where he would really fit better here and elsewhere in the NFL is at tight end, and he's not interested in making that position switch. He still has the NFL quarterback dream, and I don't blame him for that.
The Panthers, though, are set at quarterback and are headed toward a good season. An ill-fated spot on the Tim Tebow's Happy Train to Nowhere might be just the sort of thing that could derail them, in much the same way it derailed the Jets only a season ago.
Posts
53 comments:
Dear Lord NOO!
Tebow will either change positions in NFL or relagate himself to Arena where he could QB. I sure would like him as TE as well, but the drama would not be worth the risk.
Tebow as 3rd string QB would be great. That's a huge upgrade from tiny hands Jimmy C. And if Tebow came here and was clearly slated as the #3 QB there would be no circus. What for? He is #3 on the depth chart, so no expectations of him starting or playing regularly. Maybe he plays the occasional down to give Cam a break and keep our run/pass options open. The question is....what does a team need to pay to sign Tebow?
He would make a good tight end and could be a good fit here at that position.
If they bring Tebow here, they might as well re-hire Hurney.
Jimmy Clausen anyday over Tebow. Tebow should just become a TV evangelist....the next Jimmy Swaggart! Cam isn't worried about anybody looking over his shoulder, especially a practice squad tight end. Go Panthers!
Maybe he could be a tight end.
Ridiculous reasoning, Scott. Cam has nothing to fear, and Tebow, bad as he is, is better than Clausen. He has something Clausen will never have - confidence. And if he did come here, there would be absolutely no expectation for him to start.
Why not bring him in as your 3rd string QB and then cut Clasusen. THEN, he could also help on special teams. He could also either play a backup fullback or TE position. Finally, what about Tebow and CAM in at the goalline together?? Sounds like a scary combo. Both can run or pass.
I will be the one of the opposite side of the fence here, but I think Tebow would be a good fit. I love Cam, but he worries me he is going to get injured. I would love a QB that could easily understand our system of play and keep the motivation and game going. I am sorry, but I think this guy is a top QB and better player then so called experts think he is. I would rather have him on our team then one of our conferences rivals.
Wow, Scott! You don't have anything better to write about than this BS that no one else would even think was a possibility!! Maybe you need to start writing lifestyle columns.
Forget about Tebow backing up Cam ... he should come back up Olsen!
Scott: Seriously. Cam Newton's ego and mindset is so fragile that he couldn't take having a kind, team-oriented guy like Teblow in as a third-stringer? If so, then I doubt Cam will ever have the mental fortitude to be an NFL champion. And by the way, Tebow's presence did not derail the Jets last year. The Jets just plain stunk all by themselves, beginning with Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez and going all the way down to their ball boys.
Anderson is old, but he's only 29. Tebow is not a very good NFL quarterback but he'd be the 3rd string quarterback for Carolina. Make up your mind, Scott.
Why not convert him to a FB or TE and give him a shot. It can't be any worse of a failure than the Armanti Edwards experiment.
He could room with Armanti in training camp.
So, a writer for the C.O. is talking about a professional player's "mechanics not being very good." I guess those wins in Denver were just God's blessing on Tebow and John Foxx then Scott?
Did you intentionally write this piece as some kind of hack job just to incite a bunch of comments one way or another? I'm really disappointed... And quite frankly, think Tebow coming here as backup and giving Claussen his walking papers might actually prove interesting. God knows, the Panther's are going to need some kind of "catch" this year. (But you and Tom probably aren't going to help them much.)
"Comment moderation has been enabled. All comments must be approved by the blog author."
Well, that tells us something, doesn't it?
So, basically this column makes the point that, no matter what Tebow could bring to the Panthers, Cam is such a juvenile egomaniac that he just couldn't stand any attention being diverted off of him even for a moment. And of course continuing to stroke Cam's ego is what we do to 2nd year QB's with 13-29 records. Just ridiculous...
I agree that the dynamics with the Florida ties as well as the media circus (no fault of Tebow's) would not allow this to work here. However, if he could simply come here as a player and at the right price, I think he could benefit this team as a 3rd stringer much more than Clauson...goal line situations, wildcat, punt blocker, etc.
Tebow would make a good running back or full back
It's too bad no one can comment on this story.
If he could be convinced to be a tight end he could also be the third string QB thus opening a spot on the roster for another player. Call him Dave!
Tebow is not willing to be a 3rd string QB. I actually wouldn't be surprised though if some team signs him and starts him for a season and he is successful for that one season, and rakes in that team a lot of cash. But, it'll only take a season (maybe not even that) to break down his horrid play and make sure your defense doesn't get lazy in the fourth quarter. And once that happens, he's washed up.
If Fowler hates it then I love it, bring on Timbow!!
Say what you want, but Tebow created the circus by his performance that not only got Denver to the playoffs, but made them an attractive team to the likes of Peyton Manning.
You write the same stuff that ESPN and other prognosticators opine upon: poor mechanics, not NFL caliber, he'll only bring a circus distraction, etc. But, he hasn't been given the fair opportunity.
The circus you write about was already in full play in NY. He made believers in us during his short-lived opportunity to do so. I still want to see what he has at the helm.
It interest how college que-bee can't NFL. But Panther? No thank.
To me, the bigger question is was this whole NY Jets thing anything more than a simple publicity stunt? They put $4.1 million into a player that the Head Coach and OC obviously had ZERO intention of using?
No matter what you think about Tebow's playing ability, he deserved better treatment than this.
This reminds me more of Al Davis keeping Marcus Allen on the bench and refusing to let him go anywhere else out of spite!
Those who will be screaming for Tebow in Carolina (and there will be some) are likely those who keep bashing Newton at every excuse.
All Tebow wants is a chance. I hope he gets it and proves all you "experts" wrong.
Anonymous 11:57 AM,
That "TV evangelist" crack is a low class prejudicial comment no different than any other form of stereotyping or slur.
You should be ashamed of yourself!
If Cam gets hurt, we would be blessed to have Tim Tebow!
I'll take Tebow. He only plays the last 5 minutes of games the Panthers trail by less than a touchdown. That's the only time he can get it done and the only time Cam can't get it done. The downside is needing a more accurate passer on the practice squad to simulate the upcoming opponent's offense.
Cam is the man, no doubt about that. But if you look at just the "NFL player" Tebow, he'd definitely be an upgrade over Clausen as #3 QB. The problem is that people like you would never let it be, the media circus begins with the word "media" for a reason.
Jimmy holds a stat sheet better than Tebow ever could. He's not playing in the NFL again. Jimmy probably won't either after this year. The UDFA QB we just signed is probably our 3rd stringer this year.
So why would scott even write about tebow if no one wanted him and the panthers can't use him? I guess a dumb story on a slow news day is better than no story! Gotta justify your job,huh scott?
I LOVE Tebow!!!
tebow needs to just leave football behind and become the preacher he soooo wants to be. That's obviously his calling so GO DO IT. NOW!!!
Tebow's a good guy. I'd hate to see him relegated to become one of the lowly Pussycats. I hope he can land on a real NFL team.
Cam Newton is the greatest athlete in Charlotte history! Better than Armani, Chris Leak, and especially Tebow.
I love reading the comments from all the NFL experts, especially the ones that talk about how the "so called experts" are wrong. While there are lots of so called experts out there, the NFL has some actual experts as well. That is what they get paid to do, and they have had ample time to diagnose the strengths and weaknesses of Tim Tebow. Most of them agree that he could succeed at some level in the NFL, and that makes him one of the elite athletes in the world. Tebow therefore has a decision to make, and that is to sell himself as a valuable athlete/asset to the teams in the NFL, if it isn't too late. If he tells teams that he's only interested in playing QB, he is likely finished, according to the experts.
Tebow may not be the best qb but his better then Jimmy Clausen as the 3rd qb. People need to stop talking so bad about this guy he won a playoff game unlike cam, romo,cutler,Derek Anderson....
I too am a big Tim Tebow fan, but your words ring true. Well said!
Just because you like someone doesn't mean they are the most qualified person for the job didn't George w bush teach us a lesson. Jake delhomme was a proven winner and I don't remember anyone crying for him to land a job or that he deserves another shot. Mark Sanchez took his team to the playoffs twice that's one better than tebow but no ones singing his praises. Life's not fare no matter how good of a person you are at least he got a chance at his dream not everyone gets. He will be ok if he never plays again and more than likely that will be his fate. But don't cry for tebow.
Tebow was a winner in High School-College, and briefly in the NFL. No one wants to give him a chance no one wants to see him defeat the odds. No on wants to see him play up the experts. Just because this guy is a believer he gets trampled on, media circus, and downplayed, much like how us normal believers get treated on a daily basis. He would be a great addition to any team that need a great competitor with the heart of a champion and the determination that most of the mega million dollar starting quarterbacks!!!
And non believers or partial believers don't get trampled on by the media ? Why does he deserve special treatment ? There are other players who are believers who never got the spotlight he did never got the opportunites he did its not everyone else's or the medias fault he blew them. It's not the circus just look how many teams kept taking Terrell Owens and his circus until injury ended his career difference is he had real talent. Tebow doesn't have any of Terrell's issues or attitude problems. Tebows circus is because he doesn't have Terrell's talent and was lucky to get a chance to start. Sorry the truth is so painful
Scott, not your best article.
The only truth to this article would be the pressure Cam would feel with a 2 time national championship heisman trophy winning QB breathing down his neck.
Tebow wouldn't fit? Why because we run the read option? He only took a terrible offensive team in Denver (where they sent away the #1 receiver) and made them playoff winners (something Peyton has yet to do).
No, he's aweful! I think will and drive has a lot to say to winning a football game.
Tim Tebow wins the tight games that Cam blew last year (4 of them). He's a winner.
He would fit.
I think tim would make a better player than the one man team cam, at least he will throw the ball even if it doesent reach anyone.
No NFL team wants Tebow as a starting QB or even a backup - at this point, he needs to change his sales pitch to one that would actually be of value to an NFL team. Which is drop the starting QB dream, be willing to sign for little $$ & be developed as a backup FB/Tightend ... and ya, they get an unoffical '3rd string QB' to boot.
At the right value, they can see what he does at FB/Tightend & also play around with some different Off. schemes - be it Wildcat, a FB dropping back to pass on 3rd & short, a 2nd tightend formation with an occasional pass option for him ... whatever.
Who knows, could be interesting - but the price would have to be that of a Backup FB/3rd Tightend for a team to even want to explore it.
Teabow is a preacher not a pro football player. 32 teams are not wrong. This just in, the Iowa Beef of the Arena Football League offered Rev Tebow a contract at $75per game. Probably the only contract he'll be offered, unless the Florida Gators need an assistant coach or head cheer coach. He'll do just fine in life.
The fact that an Article was even written on Tim Tebow joining the Panthers is a waste. Scott must have no big stories or really be bored with his life to even suggest we sign that bum. Leak won the Championship for Florida not Tebow, And all the players that were left for their 07 or 08 championship were recruited by Leak, So your welcome for being surrounded with a crapload of future NFL stars Timmy
The Observer doesn't want Tim Tebow in Charlotte because he doesn't "fit" and because Fowler doesn't want to see the "Tebow Circus" come here.
Yet two days ago, this same paper praised Jason Collins and essentially demanded that Michael Jordan bring Collins to Charlotte.
Circus?
Class, integrity, moral convictions, principled.....you're right, Scott...Tebow isn't a very good NFL QB, atleast the way heis rated by you and your pundit sports writers....Tebow is an excellent life QB! Bring this man to the Panther's and let some of these qualities rub off on the decadent, narcissistic players and the surrounding community.
No other team wants to have to deal with the hype. Not for the level of talent he brings. Humble and God fearing as he may be, the media storm surrounding him is not worth destroying a team's effort to build a cohesive unit..
For those saying he needs to go to Canada, have they ever watched the CFL? Bigger field, bigger ball, one less down.
A fleet, shifty, QB with a gun is ideal, not a big, lumbering, noodle arm like Tebow.
He's in a bad spot. Even if he says "sure, I'll try TE, H-back, FB", the media furor won't let a team give it a try, save the Patriots probably.
Post a Comment