The Denver Broncos took Tim Tebow No. 25 overall in the 2010 NFL Draft as Josh McDaniels' franchise quarterback.
Two years later, the New York Jets acquired Tebow to function as a Wildcat quarterback and Mark Sanchez insurance.
Now Tebow is expected to sign with the New England Patriots, his career devolved to that that of a third-stringer who's just hoping to latch onto a roster spot.
Don't expect Patriots coach Bill Belichick to experiment with Tebow as a backup tight end or an H-back. Tebow has resisted the move away from quarterback in the past. NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported that the Patriots are signing Tebow wwith the intention of playing quarterback.
Around the League's resident Cleveland Browns fan, Marc Sessler, now holds out a sliver of hope for a Ryan Mallett trade later this summer. He's going to end up disappointed. If the Patriots viewed Tebow as the primary backup to Tom Brady, they would not have allowed him to sit unsigned for five weeks.
Tebow is a low-budget Belichick flier, not unlike other late free-agent signings such as Michael Jenkins and Lavelle Hawkins. If an NFL coach is honest, he will admit that he already knows 45 to 48 of the 53 roster spots by the start of training camp. Tebow will be fighting for one of those final half-dozen jobs.
In a best-case scenario, McDaniels will develop Tebow into a passable backup by the end of this season. That would allow Belichick to entertain serious offers for Mallett next offseason as the former third-round pick enters the final year of his rookie contract.
Follow Chris Wesseling on Twitter @ChrisWesseling.
