By CHASE GARDNER
After welcoming Peyton Manning as the new starting quarterback, the Denver Broncos have ditched Tim Tebow.
That is right Tebow fans; hang up the Bronco jerseys because the scrambler is heading east. The Broncos are giving up Tebow and a seventh-round draft pick while the New York Jets are giving up a fourth and sixth-round pick and pay off $2.5 million that Denver owes Tebow.
Tebow expressed eagerness and relief that the trade went through because of a disagreement between Denver and New York about paying Tebow’s bonus. While it is obvious that Tebow will not start over Mark Sanchez, he is no doubt he will win the second string battle over Drew Stanton and Greg McElroy.
With Sanchez still in the spotlight, why give up the draft picks for a backup? One word, publicity. Tebowmanina swept through Denver last season bringing new fans, and a major increase in jersey sales.
Why would Tebow go to New York though? After the deal hit a snag, Tebow had a choice between The New York Jets or The Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jets had something the Jags could not offer, the wildcat offense. Tebow loves to run and so does offensive coordinator Tony Soprano.
With Tebow and Sanchez, the Jets can beat the other teams in the air and on the ground. The combination is risky though. It will either win New York their first Super Bowl since 1969 or backfire in head coach Rex Ryan’s face. Only time will tell.