Report: Tim Tebow Works Out for Jaguars as a Tight End
It is no secret the Jacksonville Jaguars need help at the tight end position. So much help that apparently they have reached out to baseball players and quarterbacks to find a solution.
According to multiple reports, the Jaguars have tried out former Florida Gators and Denver Broncos quarterback -- and former member of the New York Mets -- Tim Tebow as a tight end.
"Tim Tebow recently reached out to the Jaguars and requested a tryout at the tight end position, per sources, a move many believe would have extended his NFL career had he made the transition earlier," ESPN's Adam Schefter reported.
"He recently worked out with the Jaguars’ TE coach. No decision has been made.
This isn't the first time Tebow has been rumored to the Jaguars, but it is the first time as a tight end. He was famously tied to the Jaguars leading up to the 2013 offseason before then-general manager Dave Caldwell announced the Jaguars would not pursue to former Heisman Trophy winner.
It isn't hard to see how Tebow got a tryout with the Jaguars despite the fact he will be 34-years-old in Week 1 and has never played tight end at the college or NFL level. Tebow's former head coach with the Gators, Urban Meyer, is now the man calling the shots in Jacksonville. Plus, the Jaguars have arguably the worst tight end room in the league and are still looking for a boost of athleticism at the position after signing Chris Manhertz in free agency.
"That was a high priority. We have two different style of tight ends, one is a ‘Y,’ which is—on the line, basically an extension of your offensive line, a very good blocker, but also very functional in the pass game," Meyer said on March 19. "We identified the guy, had him at the top of the list and that’s [Chris] Manhertz and we got him. I’ve not met him, he’s coming in today, but I’m—we all are extremely excited about him. He was exactly what we wanted and we got him.
"The next one is the ‘F’ and that’s the primary pass catcher, but also a functional blocker. We have not addressed that. [James] O'Shaughnessy—two years ago, O'Shaughnessy had a very good year, showed a lot of potential. Obviously, he had an ACL injury, he’s been in here training, I’ve gotten to know him, really enjoy being around him. So, we count on him, but we have not finalized that piece of the puzzle yet. But the ‘Y’ part–we all feel extremely strong about Manhertz.”
Tebow was a first-round selection (No. 25 overall) for the Broncos in 2010. 11 years later, with the Jaguars now holding the No. 25 overall pick, it appears he may have at least an outside chance at being added to the Jaguars' roster depending on how the draft plays out.
Tebow last appeared in a regular season NFL game on Dec. 30, 2012, a game in which he played one offensive snap for the New York Jets. He played two years for the Broncos, appearing in 23 games and starting 14. He appeared in 12 games with the Jets and started two. He also had short stints with the Eagles and Patriots but never made the regular season roster with either.
Tebow spent five years in the Mets' minor league program before announcing his retirement on February 17, a month after Meyer had taken the Jaguars' head coaching position.
