Ranking the 5 Most Likely Trade Scenarios for Tim Tebow

Now that Peyton Manning has agreed to a five-year, $96 million deal with the Denver Broncos, the Broncos are reportedly looking to trade incumbent starting quarterback Tim Tebow. 

While the team won't get the return they spent on Tebow (first-round pick), it appears unlikely that Denver would keep Tebow on board to backup Manning. 

In looking for a trade partner, the following teams make a certain amount of sense, although no destination is a home run:

Jacksonville Jaguars

The connection here is obvious. Tebow is from the Jacksonville area and became a football legend while quarterbacking the Florida Gators in Gainesville.

2011 first-round pick Blaine Gabbert is in place but struggled in year one. Owner Shahid Khan wants people in the seats, but will he force GM Gene Smith to go after Tebow, even if Smith is against the idea?

Green Bay Packers

The Packers need another quarterback on the roster after long-time backup Matt Flynn signed with Seattle, and no franchise is a better learning environment for quarterbacks than the one in place in Green Bay.

Mike McCarthy, Tom Clements and Aaron Rodgers could do Tebow's passing game wonders, but the GM Ted Thompson cherishes draft picks and avoids distractions like the plague.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins struck out on Peyton Manning and Matt Flynn, and likely Alex Smith, too. They still have Matt Moore and signed David Garrard, but neither of those guys are likely to be franchise-type quarterbacks.

Tebow isn't at this point either, but would it hurt to add more competition to a position that doesn't have a starter set in stone? Tebow likely wants to play in Florida, too.   

Buffalo Bills

From a football standpoint, I struggle to find a better landing spot for Tebow. Chan Gailey has experience using players like Tebow (think Kordell Stewart) and the Bills aren't locked into two backup quarterbacks.

But as my colleague Chris Trapasso smartly points out in his post on his Tebow-to-Buffalo, the Bills have a gadget player in Brad Smith, and Buffalo doesn't need the media circus that would surround a sparsely-used player.  

New England Patriots

Coach Bill Belichick loves versatility and Tebow has it, as a run-heavy quarterback with the potential to play fullback and (maybe) tight end. Also, the man who drafted Tebow, Josh McDaniels, is now the Patriots offensive coordinator.

But let's not forget that the Patriots have the deepest group of quarterbacks in the NFL with Tom Brady, Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett. Unless Belichick moves him to a different position immediately, there doesn't appear to be a 53-man roster spot for Tebow in New England.