I knew he would come in handy one way or another. Many people were confused when the New England Patriots signed Tim Tebow. There is no room for him, they said. With Tom Brady and Ryan Mallet at quarterback, why do you need Tebow? One word, versatility. Tim Tebow is as versatile as they come. His physical attributes make me think that he could line up at other positions on offense, most notably Tight End. Nobody loves versatility as much as Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick, who I believe plans to use Tebow in many different ways.
As I am sure you have all heard by now, Patriots’ Tight End Aaron Hernandez is being questioned in a homicide. Details right now are very fuzzy and of course this is a very serious matter that football pales in comparison to, but it is fair to wonder whether Hernandez will be on the field for New England this season. Couple this with the constant injuries of fellow TE Rob Gronkowski, and suddenly the Patriots appear very thin at the position.
I think the Patriots would be crazy not to have Tebow learning the TE position right now. His skill set is an obvious fit, as is his body size. He has the speed and physicality for the position, he just needs some seasoning. Obviously, the Patriots cannot expect Tebow to step right in and give them the production that they received from Hernadez and Gronkowski, but I think that he would be a solid contributor that they could use as a stop-gap.
It is hard to actually see Tebow making a transition where he would be ready to play every down, but he is a very quick study that works hard at everything he does. Not to mention, if anybody could make this work, it is Belichick. Basically, there is no risk involved. If Tebow does not work out, cut him and bring in a solid veteran TE. That being said, the upside is huge with Tebow. I think the Patriots would be nuts to not at least try Tebow at the position, and I think they are too smart of an organization not to give it a shot. There is nothing to lose.
