New England Patriots Uses for Tim Tebow

Nov 22, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow (15) leads his teammates and New England Patriots players in prayer after the game on Thanksgiving at Metlife Stadium. The Patriots won the game 49-19. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Of course, two days after I write a piece on why Tim Tebow will never become a Patriot, he gets signed to the team. This move is one that confuses me to no end. The Patriots already are stock-piled with tight ends, so even if Tebow were willing to switch positions (something he isn’t), they have no use for him there. Training a former “quarterback” to play tight end would be a waste of their time with all of the talent in that area already on the roster. This surprising move can mean a few things:

Option A: They simply are signing him since no one else wants him. They want to see what he has to offer in training camp and if they have a useful spot for him. If they don’t have a spot for him, they can cut him in a heartbeat and not look back. The Patriots had Mike Kafka signed as their third-string QB up until he was cut today, so perhaps Tebow could prove to be more reliable than Kafka in that area. Since Kafka didn’t have a chance to take a snap with the Patriots, we’ll never know the true answer to that. If this is the case, Tebow will resume the most reliable role he’s served in his NFL career, the clipboard holder.

Option B: Perhaps they want to integrate him as a fullback. If he can block well, he’s already proven that he can run with the football. If he’s running with the ball as a fullback instead of a quarterback, he will be holding the ball differently which should cut down on his fumbles (7 as a starter with Denver). The Patriots are stock-piled with able RBs though, so I can’t imagine them wanting to train a player just to take the role of FB. The other position he could take with an emphasis on blocking would be on the special teams. Since Tebow was unwilling to switch positions, however, I doubt he would be willing to consider taking a role on special teams since he would likely consider that a step-down. I simply can’t imagine the Patriots utilizing Tebow in a hybrid role and having him take snaps away from Brady. Why would you ever want to take the best QB in the game off the field for even one play? Brady would hate it as much as most of the fans would.

Option C: The Patriots are going to have a competition for Brady’s backup between already-backup Ryan Mallett and Tebow. I can’t imagine Mallett being upset by Tebow in this competition, but perhaps they want to add motivation for him to keep working hard and growing. If Mallett is the future of the franchise (in my opinion he is), a little push to keep him busy is a good thing. If Mallett isn’t the future of the franchise in Belichick and Kraft’s eyes, perhaps they are going to trade him like the many rumors that have been circulating since before the draft have suggested. In this case, Tebow would become Brady’s backup.

Option D: Brady is old and they are going to trade him away, paving the way for Tebow Time in New England. He will become the next star pupil of Bill Belichick and lead the Patriots to the Super Bowl win Brady hasn’t been able to do in nearly 10 years. Gisele Bundchen will divorce Brady after falling madly in love with Tebow. Of course, I am kidding and there is no way any of this happens.

How do you think the Pats will use Tebow? Comment with your opinion and we’ll tweet the best ones!