Why do people just assume Tebow can play TE?

[tombonneau]

Mods, I respectfully request this not get merged/swallowed up by the Tebow Mega Thread as this is a discrete point/question I'd like to try to address after seeing it everywhere.

This group think concept that Tebow can just magically show up and after one off season become a TE is being bandied about by the media as if it's fait accompli.

Now yes there obviously are lots of college QBs who didn't play WR in college and were able to make the transition to WR in the NFL and have success. But I can't think of any TEs. And these QBs pretty much were drafted as athletes to convert to WR and accepted this from Day 1. Those who didn't generally did not (Kordell Stewart, and Terrelle Pryor seems to be heading down that path as well.)

Was he used or tried out at TE at all with NY? I don't seem to recall? Is there any legit quotes from the Pats they'll use him as TE? It just seems like a lazy narrative that is being picked up with no basis in reality.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Nobody, I repeat, NOBODY, assumes he WILL succeed, but it's not that crazy to give him a shot to try.

Why?

For the same reasons a certain NFL team has signed wrestlers, rugby players, and lacrosse players in the past to deals for low dollars.

You see some intriguing physical tools, so you offer him a chance to compete.

No guarantees, no promises. A chance & nothing more.

We signed a lacrosse player as a TE. Lots of college basketball players with little/no football experience have become NFL tight ends. It's not that rare.

 

[Nitro]

I dont think he can play TE. Don't think he can play RB either. And I know he can't play QB.

 

[tonyto3690]

He played some snaps at TE in NY.

No one expects him to be a starting TE. He merely has the size and tools to become a decent backup TE.

Tebows value is that he can be an emergency backup for QB, FB, RB and TE and plays some (mediocre) STs.

This didn't need it's own thread.

 

[Ive_Killed_People]

Why do you assume he can't? Size and speed comparable to AHern. He's shifty hard to tackle. He's not switching from lumberjack to chef. He's a football player,a world class athlete,a highly competitive driven person. It's not out of left field. It amazes me how many of you so called Pats fans seem to be pulling against this kid. Look at all the good he does for charity and sick kids. If you dont like this kid you might need to do a little soul searching yourself. Disgusted by most of you right now.

 

[tombonneau]

For the same reasons a certain NFL team has signed wrestlers, rugby players, and lacrosse players in the past to deals for low dollars.

You see some intriguing physical tools, so you offer him a chance to compete.

No guarantees, no promises. A chance & nothing more.

We signed a lacrosse player as a TE. Lots of college basketball players with little/no football experience have become NFL tight ends. It's not that rare.

Fair point. Gates & Graham are two good examples, albeit two totally different physical specimens/talents.

I suppose if it's a 100% shift/focus to a new position I could see it, but usually these types of players have years to incubate on the practice squad, the inverse of the glaring 24/7 spotlight where every dropped Tebow pass in training camp becomes a trending topic on Twitter.

Are there any examples of college QBs playing at QB for a few years in the NFL before a successful position switch?

 

[Sciz]

NFL rosters have 90 spots during the offseason, and there aren't enough decent players to go around. At some point, you have to decide if you want another camp body offensive lineman who has no chance of ever going anywhere in the NFL or a guy with greater potential, but at a completely different position than what he's played (or a guy who is completely new to football). They don't work out often, but I'd rather try to get a guy who can play 10 snaps a game than a guy who is there for Wilfork to throw around for a few months.

 

[tonyto3690]

Why do you assume he can't? Size and speed comparable to AHern. He's shifty hard to tackle. He's not switching from lumberjack to chef. He's a football player,a world class athlete,a highly competitive driven person. It's not out of left field. It amazes me how many of you so called Pats fans seem to be pulling against this kid. Look at all the good he does for charity and sick kids. If you dont like this kid you might need to do a little soul searching yourself. Disgusted by most of you right now.

Hard to tackle? Sure, I can buy that.
Shifty? Have you ever watched him play? Seriously? He's a FB.

Sorry, but being a tight end in the NFL is not easy. It takes more than just a prototypical size to be able to do. Before last season he was never asked to block anyone in his entire life (and it showed: he was awful at it). He has probably never run routes in a real game in his life except for a few last year with the Jets. Furthermore, he showed last year in the one or two attempts he got, that he can't catch.

I'd absolutely love for Tebow to become a great weapon for us, but that doesn't mean it's REALISTIC. Put away the homer shades and try to see it unbiased. Assuming he can just come in and pick up a new position and play well is completely absurd.

Even if he could play TE at a fairly adequate level, you're really going to take Gronk/Hernandez/Ballard off the field for him? Really?


He's an emergency backup at QB, FB, RB, and TE.

Come back to reality.

 

[DocHoliday]

I see him as either FB or ST player extraordinaire. If he plays well on ST, why not?

We usually keep around 5 players for ST only reasons, not including the actual ST positions. Last year we had the likes of Koutivedes on the team. You can't tell me Tebow can't possibly do as well as a 30 year old ST LB?

 

[tombonneau]

Why do you assume he can't? Size and speed comparable to AHern. He's shifty hard to tackle. He's not switching from lumberjack to chef. He's a football player,a world class athlete,a highly competitive driven person. It's not out of left field. It amazes me how many of you so called Pats fans seem to be pulling against this kid. Look at all the good he does for charity and sick kids. If you dont like this kid you might need to do a little soul searching yourself. Disgusted by most of you right now.

You're filling in your own blanks/projecting on this thread. I'm very neutral on the Tebow signing.

What I'm bringing on this thread is his ability to just switch positions. The media is presenting a position switch of a three-year NFL QB to another position as if it's a regular occurrence.

I'm simply trying to stimulate some intelligent and rational discussion about this type of switch and any historical precedence while trying my best to mitigate any extremist views, which granted was probably a Billy Mumphry optimistic of me less than six hours after a Tebow signing.

 

[tonyto3690]

Fair point. Gates & Graham are two good examples, albeit two totally different physical specimens/talents.

I suppose if it's a 100% shift/focus to a new position I could see it, but usually these types of players have years to incubate on the practice squad, the inverse of the glaring 24/7 spotlight where every dropped Tebow pass in training camp becomes a trending topic on Twitter.

Are there any examples of college QBs playing at QB for a few years in the NFL before a successful position switch?

Edelman was a QB in college.

Gates and Graham both played TE before coming to the NFL. And even if they never had in their careers, lets not act like these guys are the norm. Tebow last year was given opportunities to prove he could play TE at a higher level than the scrubs the Jets were playing behind Keller and he was horrible. I distinctly one play where Sanchez threw a pass to Tebow running a slant and it bounced off the back of Tebows head.

Furthermore, Tebow was a liability as a blocker.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Edelman was a QB in college.

Gates and Graham both played TE before coming to the NFL. And even if they never had in their careers, lets not act like these guys are the norm. Tebow last year was given opportunities to prove he could play TE at a higher level than the scrubs the Jets were playing behind Keller and he was horrible. I distinctly one play where Sanchez threw a pass to Tebow running a slant and it bounced off the back of Tebows head.

Furthermore, Tebow was a liability as a blocker.

I don't have high hopes for Tebow but I don't think the Jets really gave him any opportunities to succeed. That pass could very easily have been a frantic Sanchez making a terrible play as well.

And one year doesn't mean it can't be done. Graham only played one year of TE in college and caught a total of 17 passes for 213 yards, hardly indicative of what he would become. Clay Matthews didn't play much in college until his senior season, when he racked up 4.5 total sacks.

I'm not saying it's likely, but as the 70th or 80th or even 90th guy on the roster, what's the big deal in letting him try? It's a low-risk, high-reward scenario. It's like getting a free lottery ticket. Sure, you probably will lose, but for what you gave up for it (nothing), why not give it a try?

 

[IndianPat]

Mostly likely the Pats signed him not for his QB potential (which obviously he has a "little"). because he is a damn good football player. I still remember the last play for Denver with which he killed the Jets for the last score. Sheer wizardry.
So what's he likely be with the Patriots? He has the size to be a FB, TE or a linebacker. It is reasonable to postulate that he might develop into one of these positions. You are right in that he will not automatically become a good TE right away. If he proves his value as a STer, then he will make the team and be a work in progress as TE. As a TE or anyother position he takes up (including QB), I don't think Tebow will be reach his full potential until his third year.

 

[Joker]

It's like getting a free lottery ticket. Sure, you probably will lose, but for what you gave up for it (nothing), why not give it a try?

except that the entire press corps doesn't line up at your door every single day asking you why you bought the ticket , where you bought the ticket, did God inspire you to buy THAT particular ticket, would you continue to believe that ticket IS a winner, are you better than Tom Brady because HE pays for HIS lottery ticket, isn't gambling un-Godly....?...on and on and on...I mean , what happened here...did most of you MISS the past two years or what???

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

.did most of you MISS the past two years or what???

The Jets loved it at first. Any attention is good attention, they thought.

Here it's a business.

no presser, no media access, no public appearances, no twitter. He will be as available as the guy competing with Mesko as a punter, no more, no less.

When the hungry reporters don't even get table scraps, sooner or later they scatter.

90th man, competing for a roster spot. That's all.

 

[Jangles]

He can't be worse at TE than he is at QB

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I distinctly one play where Sanchez threw a pass to Tebow running a slant and it bounced off the back of Tebows head.

I don't think this actually proves that Tebow can't play TE. . . .

 

[manxman2601]

Two thoughts:

1. Whilst it says nothing about his ability to catch or block, Tebow is a near clone of Dennis Pitta in terms of size and athleticism so at least there's a starting point.

2. I was interested watching Tebow's Gruden camp where Gruden compared Tebow to Mike Alstott. That's not a comparison I can make so I'll rely on Gruden for that. It's something we lack on the offense, the ability to pound the ball, especially on short yardage plays. Now that doesn't tie in with someone still holding out for a career at QB but Tebow offers a nice combination of size, power and athleticism to fill a role as a short yardage RB that might offer a bit of TE flexibility, can probably help on special teams and act as scout team QB preparing for the likes of Locker, Kaepernick et al and if the worst comes to the worst, has many years experience standing under center and handing the ball off. Without a doubt, that's someone who'd certainly be worth a 45-53 roster spot.

 

[Off The Grid]

Why do you assume he can't? Size and speed comparable to AHern. He's shifty hard to tackle. He's not switching from lumberjack to chef. He's a football player,a world class athlete,a highly competitive driven person. It's not out of left field. It amazes me how many of you so called Pats fans seem to be pulling against this kid. Look at all the good he does for charity and sick kids. If you dont like this kid you might need to do a little soul searching yourself.

Disgusted by most of you right now.

There's something deliciously insane about a guy who chose the Moniker "I've Killed People" saying that!!

 

[Ive_Killed_People]

There's something deliciously insane about a guy who chose the Moniker "I've Killed People" saying that!!

Says the guy with the picture of the mobster holding a shotgun.