The non-battle battle between Tim Tebow and Mark Sanchez for snaps as Jets quarterback remains, annoyingly, at the epicenter of NFL training camp. And it's not going to go away, either.
Unless, of course, the Jets take the advice of CBS' Boomer Esiason, speaking on WFAN's "Boomer and Carton Show" Monday morning, and "cut Tim Tebow."
"If I was the Jets you want to know what I would do? I would cut Tim Tebow. I really would" Esiason said. "I'm telling you right now I would, and I'll tell you why I would: it's just not in any way, shape or form benefiting this team. I just don't see how it benefits this team.
"I just think this whole thing -- at least from my perspective right now in relation to who Mark Sanchez is, your starting quarterback -- is a major mistake."
It's a bold statement from Boomer, but not one likely to ever morph into a realistic situation. Whether or not Tebow can throw (and Boomer points out he can't) is irrelevant to what Rex Ryan and Tony Sparano want to do on offense. They plan to utilize him in the Wildcat offense and ostensibly make him a dangerous red-zone threat. Plus, if Sanchez struggles, Tebow presents a somewhat viable alternative.
And Rex has Tebow's back even with training camp struggles.
"I have not been disappointed with Tim at all," Ryan said Monday, per Manish Mehta of New York Daily News. "Once you go to a live situation, that's going to elevate his play. It's not just that he's throwing the ball, because he is such a weapon when it takes off with it."
And there's one more reason to keep Tebow around, which Boomer used to caveat his statement about the Jets dumping Tebow: the leadership potential he brings to the locker room.
"Unless one thing I'd say is you've got a bunch of lunatics in the locker room as evidenced by the words of Antonio Cromartie and Chaz Schilens coming back and Antonio Cromartie basically saying to Chaz Schilens I wish you didn't go to the media," Esiason said. "And then you've got Santonio Holmes there who basically thinks he's the greatest in football and he'll tell you himself. It's like the self-promotion of Deion Sanders, it's ridiculous. The reason is you may want Tebow on this team, specifically and for one reason and one reason only and that's the character issue."
Character is actually a pretty good reason to hang onto Tebow: a quick look at quotes coming from the Broncos throughout 2011 indicates just how well he works within the locker room. Players gravitate towards Tebow the same reason that fans do -- he appears to work miracles and no one understands why or how in the slightest.
Ryan is hoping Tebow can do that for the Jets in 2012, plus beef up the their red-zone efficiency, and it's why Boomer's request won't ever happen, regardless of whether or not he's right about the Jets dumping Tebow.
Boomer Esiason says Jets should 'cut Tim Tebow' - CBSSports.com
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