Peyton Manning has reportedly made his decision to sign with the Denver Broncos and has told his agent to begin negotiations with the team. With Manning coming to Mile High look for the Broncos to trade Tim Tebow.
Tebowmania will have to make a name for itself elsewhere because there is no reason for Denver to keep the quarterback under contract while signing Manning. Many fans are probably thinking the team can keep both players as it will be a good way for Tebow to learn and see first-hand what it takes to be an MVP-caliber quarterback.
In theory this is a good idea and I am sure Tebow would have no problem sitting behind Manning for the next few years, but it is not practical for the Broncos. Tebow is a hot commodity and showed late last season he is capable of making great plays in tough situations. These two reasons alone will get many owners who need a quarterback and/or put fans in the stands to communicate with Denver for a trade. A high asking price will come with Tebow and the Broncos will cash in more than his worth which will help them build a Super Bowl contender around Manning.
Owners saw what Tebowmania did for Denver which means all they see are dollar signs. They also watched Tebow have a stellar performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional round of the playoffs last season which proves he is capable of playing the position.
Is Tebow a top ten quarterback in the NFL? No. Will he have to work hard to perfect his craft? Of course he will. Teams understand they will have to improve Tebow to improve their team but that is certainly a risk many owners and general managers are willing to take.
Look for the following teams to acquire Tebow in the next couple weeks via a trade with the Broncos.
Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins were unable to land Manning and did not act fast enough to sign Matt Flynn. Many critics cannot believe they have yet to sign a quarterback in free agency and although they are currently in talks with Alex Smith, look for Miami to do whatever they can to acquire Tebow.
Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jaguars are in desperate need of a quality quarterback to improve their team on and off the field while also putting fans in the stands. Blaine Gabbert was clearly not the answer last season as he needs time to learn the position. I understand Tebow must also learn the position but at least he proved he can play the game. This would also be a great fit for Tebow as he already has a legendary status in Florida from his days at the University of Florida.
Tennessee Titans: The Titans were in the Manning sweepstakes but missed out by that much. It is tough to say whether or not they will now go after Tebow even though they still have veteran Matt Hasselback. Tennessee just missed the playoffs last season which means adding Tebow could be the difference maker they need.
I personally believe the Jaguars will be the team with the biggest offer and will bring Tebow back home where he was meant to play professional football. The city will go crazy for him, the owner is a huge Tebow fan and the team can build around an athletic quarterback.
