Tim Tebow: Why QB's Presence Will Hurt Mark Sanchez's Development

Tim Tebow is a good kid, and I understand the excitement surrounding his arrival in New York, but his presence with the Jets will only serve to stunt the growth of starting quarterback Mark Sanchez.

The Jets claim they will only be using Tebow as a Wildcat quarterback and have decided to make him a package player, but does anyone really believe the team's fans will understand that and be in lock-step behind Sanchez? 

Sports Illustrated columnist Peter King claims that far more football people think the Jets' addition of Tebow is a bad idea than those who believe it was smart. I have to agree with the majority on this one. Sanchez was recently inked to a five-year, $58.25 contract extension with $20.5 million guaranteed. That means that the Jets locked themselves in to having the 25-year-old under center for the foreseeable future.

That extension was a sign that the Jets believed in Sanchez as their quarterback. Then they went out a few weeks later and landed another quarterback, who happens to be just 24 years old. 

Sanchez has all the tools to develop into an elite quarterback at the NFL level. He has the ability, but the problem has been his decision-making and confidence. Having to look over his shoulder at a wildly popular backup is not exactly going to do much for his feeling of job security.

No one can deny that Tebow is a great kid, but he isn't a great quarterback. Yes, he can play in Wildcat formations or maybe near the goal line or on two-point conversions. But he isn't someone who could really step in right away and help under center. 

Sanchez will be pushed by Tebow, but not because he's a solid quarterback who will help make the starter better. If the Jets had wanted someone like that, they should have acquired Chad Henne. No, Tebow is a guy whose overwhelming popularity will weaken whatever standing Sanchez had with the Jets.

Over time, the confidence Sanchez could have gotten from playing well consistently could be eroded and his development could be stunted simply by having Tebow behind him on the depth chart. 

It will be an extremely difficult situation for Sanchez to handle, but he will have to push through it if he wants to last in New York.