(08-07-2021, 10:48 AM)I am Yoda Wrote:

(08-07-2021, 09:44 AM)Bullseye Wrote: Congrats. 

In one post, you perfectly encapsulated why there is little to no substantive football discussion of Tebow.  None of the reasons you or anyone else support him have anything to do with substantive football reasons.

I wasn't attempting to give football reasons.  Look back through the thread if you like.  I have been skeptical of his ability to convert to TE and make the team.  But I haven't been angry that his old college coach gave him an opportunity.  It will all work itself out by the end of the month and I will be content either way.  

Is Ben Ellefson a significantly better player today than Tebow?  Maybe; maybe not.  Can anyone make a real case the last guy to make the roster is of any more real quality than a practice squad guy or a free agent?  No.  And if the Jags were to trade for Ertz, one or both of those guys would be gone.  I don't see us keeping 5 TEs rather than another OL or WR.  But that's just me.

Irrespective of your intent, the net effect/end results are the same:  No substantive football based reason to support the Tebow signing.

By your own admission, you "have been skeptical of his ability to convert to TE to make the team."  So I won't even bother to go too much into that.

If you are coming off a 1-15 season, as a general rule, you want to rebuild with youth.  With Tebow, you are bringing in a guy who will be 34 years old at the start of the season.  Even assuming he makes the final roster, how many years could he be reasonably expected to give to the team?  Granted, rebuilding teams churn the bottom part of the roster all of the time, but they do so in large part in the hopes of finding a long term contributor.  It's doubtful Tebow could be a long term contributor to the team, even if he makes it.

As a general rule, you want to bring in guys who are going to upgrade a position of weakness on your team, especially when you are rebuilding.  The whole purpose is to make your team better.  If you are skeptical of his ability to successfully convert to TE and make the team, how can you argue he upgrades the position?  Admittedly, Tebow aside, at this stage, I don't think the team upgraded the TE position at all.  But again, if Tebow doesn't help that, why bring him in?  Can any Tebow supporter substantively dismiss Lavar Arrington's admittedly glib analysis?

Sometimes teams will bring in older players because they are familiar with the offense and can help teach the schemes to other players.  This was exemplified with the Marvin Jones signing.  Bevell was the offensive coordinator in Detroit the past couple of years, and Marvin Jones played under him.  He knows what the scheme requires, etc. Tebow never played under him.  He played under Urban Meyer....some 12 years ago....in college.  How much insight could he possibly provide, especially since he's changing positions?

Sometimes a team will bring in an older player because he can contribute on special teams.  What special teams experience does Tebow have?  What prowess in punt protection, punt coverage, kick coverage, blocking, returning, punting or kicking, gunning, long snapping, or holding for FGs has Tebow demonstrated?

Leadership?  Yeah, sometimes that is a motivating factor to bring a guy in.  But your response indicates at best, you think he'll be a fringe, bottom of the roster type player.  Fringe, bottom of the roster players are typically not leaders.  Think back in our team's history.  When have the likes of Chris Claybrooks, Will richardon, Todd Fordham, Prosinski, EVER been considered team leaders by the team or the fanbase as a whole?!?  It typically doesn't happen...at least not on successful teams.

So then let's examine the reasons you have stated people support him.

You said he's a hometown hero.  There was a guy who played receiver for the Jaguars a few years back...last name Ross, IIRC.  Went to JU.  Never seemed to register with the fanbase as a whole...certainly not to exalt him above better players.  Conversely, two of our most popular players, Tony Boselli and Calais Campbell, were from Colorado.  Jimmy Smith?  From Mississippi.  Fred Taylor is from Pahokee (I think)  You said he's a public Christian and people are bothered by that.  Who has expressed that?  To date, two of the most revered players in team history were devout Christians who were very open about their faith-Mark Brunell and Tony Boselli.  I would have guys of their caliber on my team any time and they are public Christians.  This is true league wide, as devout Christians like Darrell Greene, Reggie White, Aeneas Williams, Troy Polamalu, Roger Staubach, Tom Landry, Joe Gibbs and Tony Dungy.  Only a fool would not want those Christians associated with their teams when they were coaching and playing.  For additional context, Trevor Lawrence is a very public Christian.  There are very few Jaguars fans who do not enthusiastically welcome here here.  Conversely, there are lots of public Christians-local or national-like Rudolph McKissick, Homer Lindsay, Creflo Dollar, Rod Parsley, et al that I want nothing to do with this team whatsoever.  Not because they are Christians or even public Christians...but because...wait for it...they can't play football well enough to help the team win. 

I suppose if you want him to make the team for those reasons, that's okay...if you are okay with the team having a second mascot.  But spare me the pretense of the lack of reasoned objections to Tebow.

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