Tim Tebow - Pro Football Rumors

Reactions From Tim Tebow’s Baseball Workout

August 30th, 2016 at 9:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Tim Tebow worked out in front of representatives of 28 different MLB teams on Tuesday and he didn’t exactly look the part of a polished big leaguer. Tebow got “mixed reviews” after his audition on the USC campus, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com writes.

Tebow, 29, ran a solid 6.70-second 60-yard-dash and belted some long home runs in practice. However, he struggled to hit off-speed pitches from former big-leaguers David Aardsma and Chad Smith. Also, according to one scout who spoke to Crasnick, Tebow showed a below-average 40 grade arm on the 20-80 scouts scale – an especially poor showing for a former NFL quarterback. Even though Tebow did not have a great day on the field, he still insists that he is serious about his baseball pursuit.

“This isn’t about publicity,” Tebow said. “It’s definitely not about money. I took a pay cut to do this. For me, you pursue what you love regardless of what else happens. If you fail or fall flat on your face, and that’s the worst thing that can happen, it’s OK. When did pursuing what you love become such a bad thing? I’ll make all the sacrifices to be the best I can.”

For what it’s worth, Tebow understands that he has some work to do before he reaches the big leagues and he may even consider playing winter league ball in Latin America. If Tebow is indeed willing to leave the country to play baseball, one can’t help but wonder why he was never willing to try and reignite his football career in the CFL.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Bosa, 49ers, Tebow, McPhee

August 29th, 2016 at 10:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Joey Bosa‘s switch in lead agents helped end the stalemate between him and the Chargers, as Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes. Bosa’s camp shifted from Brian Ayrault to Todd France — each of whom work for CAA — after Ayrault rejected San Diego’s most recent offer. Because the club said it would only reduce its proposal from there, the agency decided to try a new strategy. “Good cop, bad cop,” one source told Gehlken.

Another key in ending the negotiations was the Chargers agreeing to language that would protect Bosa’s roster bonuses, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link). The former Ohio State Buckeye will receive 85% of his signing bonus in 2016, and the rest in 2017, per Breer, which represents a compromise between the two sides.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

The 49ers could choose to put quarterback Colin Kaepernick “on ice” in 2016 in order to ensure that his injury guarantees do not kick in, as Breer tweets. San Francisco would be employing a similar tactic used by the Redskins last year with Robert Griffin III. Kaepernick’s $11.9MM salary for the upcoming season is fully guaranteed, but a report this morning indicated that the club could still cut the sixth-year QB.
Roughly half of MLB will be represented at Tim Tebow‘s baseball workout tomorrow, reports Jon Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Prior to the start of the season, Tebow reportedly worked out for the Dodgers and the team showed some level of interest in him afterward. Of course, the former NFL quarterback faces an uphill climb as he hasn’t played baseball full-time since 2005.
The Bears face a decision on linebacker Pernell McPhee in the coming days, as Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune writes. McPhee, who is dealing with a knee injury, is currently on the active/PUP list, and if he doesn’t come off said list by Saturday, he’d be forced to miss the first six weeks of the season. Chicago isn’t saying much about McPhee’s recovery, but it doesn’t look like McPhee will be able to contribute by Week 1.
2015 first-round pick Andrus Peat played primarily on the left side during his rookie year, so the Saints are now considering moving him from right guard to left guard, according to John DeShazier of the team’s website. If New Orleans does make the switch, veterans Tim Lelito and Senio Kelemete would keep competing for the right guard spot.

Latest On Tim Tebow

August 24th, 2016 at 9:00am CST by Zachary Links

Tim Tebow is set to work out for MLB teams next week and it sounds like he’ll have a full house as he shows his stuff. More than 20 clubs are confirmed to attend the workout, a source tells ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Prior to the start of the season, Tebow reportedly worked out for the Dodgers and the team showed some level of interest in him afterward. Of course, the former NFL quarterback faces an uphill climb as he hasn’t played baseball full-time since 2005. The former first-round pick of the Broncos has not appeared in the NFL since 2012 when he was with the Jets. Since then, he has had training camp stints with the Patriots and Eagles, but he fell short each time.

In Tebow’s workout on Tuesday, he will reportedly run a 60-yard dash, catch fly balls with throws to the bases, and take live batting practice. Tebow says he is hoping to play in the outfield and does not want to play for a team that only wants him for minor league ticket sales.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Tim Tebow To Hold MLB Audition Next Week

August 23rd, 2016 at 1:40pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll soon find out exactly where Tim Tebow stands as a baseball player. The former Florida standout and NFL quarterback will work out for major league scouts on August 30th in Los Angeles, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes.

Tebow is slated to “run a 60-yard dash, catch fly balls with throws to the bases, take live batting practice, and then take batting practice against more advanced pitchers who will not tell him what is coming and will be trying to get him out.” The 29-year-old insists that he is serious about his move to baseball and his representatives say that this is not a publicity stunt. Tebow is hoping to play as a major league outfielder despite not having played the sport full-time in more than ten years.

Tebow has been working with Chad Moeller to make the transition and the former MLB catcher believes that he can pull it off, despite the long odds.

“I am beyond impressed with Tim’s athleticism and swing, and it goes without saying that he has shown a high level of discipline and strong work ethic,” Moeller said earlier this month. “I see bat speed and power and real baseball talent. I truly believe Tim has the skill set and potential to achieve his goal of playing in the Major Leagues, and based on what I have seen over the past two months, it could happen relatively quickly.”

The Florida product hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since 2012, when he was a backup signal-caller with the Jets. Last offseason, he tried to make the Eagles’ roster but Chip Kelly released him prior to the start of the season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Colston, Jaguars, Manziel, Tebow

August 13th, 2016 at 12:45pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL…

Free agent wideout Marques Colston is still rehabbing a shoulder injury, and the veteran is planning on exploring playing opportunities once he’s healthy. “Once I’m done with rehab, I’ll see what’s out there,” Colston told Aaron Kasinitz of PennLive.com. The Saints‘ all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns was released by the team earlier this offseason.
ESPN analyst (and former NFL general manager) Mark Dominik told SiriusXM’s Alex Marvez that the Jaguars could be looking to make a deal. The team is very deep at defensive line and tight end, and Dominik says the front office is hoping to trade some of their depth before the end of the preseason (Twitter link).
A source told Carlos Greer of the New York Post that Johnny Manziel is intending to clean up his act before pursuing another NFL opportunity in 2017. “He knows he’s hit rock bottom and he’s giving himself a year to get sober and get ready for football. He wants to play again,” said the source. “He really wants to turn things around and make people proud of him again. It’s not going to end this way. He really wants to make that effort. He knows what he’s gifted with … The spotlight got to him.”
Former major league catcher Chad Moeller can’t envision Tim Tebow spending more than two years in the minors. Rather, Moeller believes it’s more majors-or-bust for the former NFL quarterback. “Now, do I think a team is going to send him to rookie ball? No,” Moeller told Tom Pelissero of USA Today. “You’re taking a 28-year-old. You know what you’re getting. It’s either going to work or it’s not, and it’s going to have to be fast-tracked.”
Moeller also noted that Tebow needs to be wary of teams simply signing the former NFL player in order to sell tickets. Rather, the former catcher said Tebow is seeking an organization that would want him for his talents. “He knows he’s partially a sideshow to start with,” Moeller said. “But he does want a team that actually thinks this is for real and thinks this is someone that can help us.”

Tim Tebow Pursuing Baseball Career

August 9th, 2016 at 8:14am CST by Zachary Links

Former NFL quarterback and current ESPN broadcaster Tim Tebow is actively pursuing a career in professional baseball and plans to hold a workout for MLB teams later this month, agents Jimmy Sexton and Nick Khan tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Tebow has not played baseball full-time since 2005, but his reps say that he is dead serious about making it as a major leaguer.

“Obviously we support Tim in his pursuit of a baseball career, as we have in all his ventures,” said Tebow’s football agent, Sexton, who is now working with CAA baseball agent, Brodie Van Wagenen. “Tim’s athletic ability, his work ethic, his leadership and his competitiveness were evident in football and will show in baseball. Knowing Tim’s passion and desire, we won’t be surprised by anything he accomplishes.”

Tebow, 29 on Sunday, will invite every MLB team to watch him audition at the end of the month. Tebow has been training hard for this session over the last year, pulling double duty while working for ESPN. Schefter hears that those who have seen Tebow hit have been pleasantly surprised to see how well he has picked things up after so much time away. Indeed, former Major League catcher Chad Moeller, who has been training Tebow at his academy in Scottsdale, Arizona, offered up high praise for the ex-QB.

“I am beyond impressed with Tim’s athleticism and swing, and it goes without saying that he has shown a high level of discipline and strong work ethic,” Moeller said (Facebook link via Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports). “I see bat speed and power and real baseball talent. I truly believe Tim has the skill set and potential to achieve his goal of playing in the Major Leagues, and based on what I have seen over the past two months, it could happen relatively quickly.”

Tebow’s last shot at the NFL came last offseason when he hooked on with Chip Kelly‘s Eagles. Tebow was the fourth QB on the depth chart but the team was reportedly giving him a real look since they liked what he could do in short-yardage and two-point plays. The Florida product hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since 2012, when he was a backup signal-caller with the Jets.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Monroe, Arians, Jets, Tebow, Pats

June 17th, 2016 at 8:04pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Free agent offensive tackle Eugene Monroe will likely begin visiting prospective employers next week, reports Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link). With training camp still a good distance away, Monroe will take his time before signing somewhere, adds Fowler. Since the Ravens released him Wednesday, Monroe has reportedly drawn interest from the Giants, Seahawks and 49ers. In addition to those three clubs, PFR’s Dallas Robinson analyzed five others that could sign the 29-year-old.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians told Andrea Kremer of HBO that he felt “betrayed” when the Steelers let him go after the 2011 season, ending his five-year stint as their offensive coordinator (via Jeremy Cluff of the Arizona Republic). “I had admired Mike Tomlin so much. And I really thought he was a coach who really cared about his people. And for him to do this, well, I felt very disillusioned,” said Arians, who accused Tomlin of reneging on a promise to renew his contract. Arians believes the perception that he was too close with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger – with whom he won a Super Bowl – contributed to his demise in Pittsburgh. The 63-year-old also told Kremer he was “legitimately retired” after his tenure with the Steelers concluded, but Colts head coach Chuck Pagano then hired him as Indianapolis’ O-coordinator. Arians ended up as Indy’s head coach for 12 games, leading the team to a 9-3 record as Pagano battled leukemia. That success paved the way for Arians to land in Arizona, where he has helped the Cardinals to a sterling 34-17 regular-season mark and three straight playoff appearances.
With both quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson at loggerheads with the Jets over money, the team is on track to open training camp July 27 in less-than-ideal fashion, writes Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Cimini doesn’t expect Fitzpatrick – who’s still a free agent – to re-sign with the club by then, while the Jets and Wilkerson are too far apart on his next contract to hammer out a long-term agreement by the July 15 deadline for franchise-tagged players. Wilkerson will lose $900K per week if he holds out into the regular season, notes Cimini, so the likelihood is the Pro Bowler will ultimately sign his $15.7MM franchise tender this summer and play out the year under that.
Free agent Tim Tebow could take another crack at making an NFL roster as a quarterback, he told Larry King (via Mark Fischer of the New York Daily News). “You pursue what’s on your heart, you pursue what you’re passionate about and for me in the game of football, is the position of quarterback,” said the 28-year-old. Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, was one of the Eagles’ final cuts last summer. He hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since 2012, when he was a backup signal-caller with the Jets.
Longtime front office executive Michael Lombardi is leaving the Patriots, reports Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. No reason has been given for Lombardi’s exit, but the former NFL Network analyst could be headed to HBO to join Bill Simmons’ new venture, according to Reiss. Lombardi, whom the Pats hired in 2013 as an assistant to their coaching staff, was previously the general manager in Cleveland.

East Notes: Wayne, Brown, Tebow

September 5th, 2015 at 10:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Bill Belichick and Reggie Wayne agreed to mutually part company when the Patriots officially released the wide receiver they employed for not even two weeks, according to Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com.

Another reason for Wayne’s abrupt departure amid the Patriots’ injury struggles at the position could stem from the wideout’s lack of enjoyment in the Pats’ environment, per team radio analyst, Scott Zolak (on Twitter).

A source told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk the the Patriots like to bring in veterans and let them learn the system to a degree, so even in the event they are cut, they could potentially fill a need later in the season if help is needed. Florio offers that Wayne might not be willing to follow in this path.

Two months shy of 37, Wayne’s beginning to sound like he’s on the way out, with a source telling Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link) the potential Hall of Fame wideout is willing to return but only in the right situation. But then again, not many veterans this far into their careers like to join up with losing franchises, so Wayne not jumping at just any chance to play makes sense.

Here are some other notes from the Eastern divisions as cut day closes.

Chip Kelly told Tim Tebow to hone his craft in Canada when the third-year Eagles coach cut the polarizing quarterback today, reports Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (on Twitter). Tebow has previously rebuffed such opportunities, but Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com notes (on Twitter) the Toronto Argonauts hold Tebow’s CFL rights, have spoken with him before and happen to be on a bye week presently.
The Bills may not be done reshuffling their backfield. They’ve had discussions of trading Bryce Brown, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets. Buffalo GM Doug Whaley surrendered a fourth-round pick for Brown last season. The backup to the recently relocated Fred Jackson and the less-recently relocated C.J. Spiller last season, Brown, 24, didn’t receive many opportunities in his debut Bills slate. Now a two-time LeSean McCoy understudy, Brown appears to have fallen out of favor in Buffalo. He still sits behind Anthony Dixon and potentially fifth-rounder Karlos Williams. Dixon accrued 105 carries to Brown’s 36 last season despite Brown’s 5.1 yards per tote eclipsing Dixon’s tally by a full yard.

Eagles Cut Tim Tebow

September 5th, 2015 at 11:22am CST by Luke Adams

After trading Matt Barkley to the Cardinals, the Eagles have parted ways with another backup quarterback, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the team has cut Tim Tebow. Howard Eskin of FOX 29 tweeted earlier today that he was getting indications Tebow would be let go, with Chip Kelly looking for help at quarterback and possibly on the offensive line.

Assuming the Eagles have no plans to bring Tebow back to their roster in the coming weeks, this could be the last shot the former Florida Gator gets in the NFL. There was a belief that he had a decent chance to make Philadelphia’s roster this season, since Kelly and the team reportedly liked his potential to contribute on short-yardage and two-point plays.

With Tebow – and Barkley – no longer in the mix, Sam Bradford and Mark Sanchez are the only quarterbacks remaining on the Eagles’ roster. While many teams carry just two signal-callers, Philadelphia will likely want to add a third QB as insurance, either to the practice squad or the active roster, given Bradford’s injury history.

QB Rumors: Eagles, Bills, RGIII, Browns

August 21st, 2015 at 3:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Assuming he doesn’t make any significant errors during the team’s remaining preseason games, quarterback Tim Tebow is on track to earn a spot on the Eagles‘ regular season roster, a source tells ESPN’s Dianna Russini. According to Russini, head coach Chip Kelly has been getting increasingly excited about using Tebow in two-point and short-yardage scenarios.

With Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez, and Tebow likely to make the Eagles’ roster, it would seem to leave Matt Barkley on the outside looking in. According to Russini’s source, Barkley remains available in a potential trade.

Here’s more on a handful of unsettled quarterback situations around the NFL:

Bills head coach Rex Ryan sees potential big-play ability in quarterback Tyrod Taylor, and would prefer to start him over the team’s other QB options, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). However, Cole adds that other members of the Buffalo coaching staff believe Matt Cassel would make fewer mistakes than Taylor, and is the more consistent, reliable option.
In a separate video at Bleacher Report, Cole also tackles the Washington quarterback situation, indicating that the decision on Robert Griffin III‘s long-term future – or lack thereof – with the team will ultimately be made by owner Daniel Snyder. Head coach Jay Gruden and his staff want RGIII in the starting lineup as much as possible this year, so that the club can get a thorough evaluation of the former second overall pick before that decision is made.
On the heels of Josh McCown‘s underwhelming, two-interception performance against the Bills, Browns head coach Mike Pettine stressed that he’s not looking to create a QB competition, and that McCown remains his No. 1 guy over Johnny Manziel. Still, Pettine wasn’t ready to guarantee that McCown would be the team’s starting QB in Week 1 (Twitter links via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal).