What Tim Tebow Gives The Denver Broncos

With the 25th pick in the NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select from the University of Florida, Tim Tebow. Those words were definitely the biggest surprise of the draft. After all, Denver did just bring in Brady Quinn to push Kyle Orton for the starting job. So why would the Denver Broncos take a quarterback?

If they were going to take a quarterback, why wouldn't they take Jimmy Clausen who ran a very similar system at Notre Dame? Also Clausen was rated higher than Tebow in the draft. What was Josh McDaniels thinking?

This pick does make sense if McDaniels was thinking along these lines. Tebow gives the Broncos something that Clausen doesn't. That is quite simply options. By options, I don't mean running the option although there could be a package for that.

By options, I mean McDaniels has options about what to do with the quarterback position and what to do with Tebow. When talking about Tebow, McDaniels' words really caught my attention. He said he likes high character guys who are smart and versatile. The key word is versatile and notice how he never said Tebow will be quarterback.

That is not to say that Tebow won't eventually be the quarterback. He may be. However, McDaniels still has two other quarterbacks to decide on. Not only that but Tebow is a project and converting him to the pro game will take time.

What drafting him does do is send a message loud and clear to Orton and Quinn. Prior to the draft, the plan was to start the year with Orton, but if he falters Quinn would be in by about week six.

While that plan probably hasn't changed, Orton has to know that his leash just got even shorter. The message to Quinn is that when you get in, you basically have this season to show what you have. In other words, he has one chance with Denver.

If neither Orton nor Quinn produce, then Tebow will be the quarterback in 2011. If Orton or Quinn does establish themself as the starting quarterback going forward, then you have the option of converting Tebow to a tight end. With Tony Scheffler gone, that is now a hole that needs to be filled.

Another option McDaniels has and he can do this one immediately is to put Orton on the market. There are plenty of teams out there who will be playoff contenders but do not have an experienced back up. The Patriots, Colts, and Vikings immediately come to mind. Also, Buffalo never did address it's quarterback situation in the draft.

Any of these teams and others just might be interested in Orton and willing to give a good trade to Denver. If that happens, Denver could start Quinn for a year and the message still is that he has one season to establish himself as the quarterback.

In summary, while drafting Tebow caused a lot of head scratching it just might have been a good pick. It certainly puts urgency on the quarterbacks who are already there. More importantly, Tebow gives McDaniels options that Clausen wouldn't have.