Tim Tebow News: Will He Play Running Back?

By DJ Dunson | June 15 2012 9:24 AM

Tim Tebow, Rex Ryan and the Jets are either playing the media like fools or flirting with the fringe of NFL offensive philosophies. The Jets mystery isn't whether Sanchez can finish the season as the starter but what will be Tebow's role in the offense? Ignoring the headline, the more appropriate question is what position won't he play? He's already practiced with the special teams as a punt protector and before the Broncos drafted him many believed he was destined to be converted into a tight end.

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Tebow has played serveral positions this offseason.

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On Day 2 of Jets minicamp, Tebow confirmed that the Jets indeed asked him to gain weight and add 10 pounds to his 240 pound playing weight from last season rather than continue shedding the upper muscle mass, which many experts including former Ravens head coach Brian Billick, believe hinders his passing motion.

Tebow's weight goals, also corroborates Sanchez's quote from earlier this month when he talked to Yahoo Sports about Tebow's work ethic in the weight room.

After we traded for Tim, I'm in the weight room feeling good, feeling big, thick, really in shape. Then here comes Tim, the Incredible Hulk, Sanchez said. I'm doing the pull ups with the extra weight and then he does them with two kettle bells and he just powers through them. He's just an ox. He was awesome and I'm like, 'OK, I'm not at that level.'

At 250 pounds, Tebow would be the heaviest ball carrier on the Jets roster but Sanchez is no slouch either after adding five pounds to his 225 pound playing weight in 2011. On Thursday, the Jets practiced with a formation that had Sanchez under center and Tebow in the backfield.

While Sanchez threw the league's fifth-most red zone touchdown passes (21) last season, it appears that Tebow may become a red zone option if offensive coordinator Tony Sporano is truly committed to the Wildcat package he's implemented this offseason.

However, despite this, Tebow has also taken snaps with the first team and excelled while Sanchez struggled on Thursday.

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Although, it appears the Jets aren't grooming Tebow to become their full-time quarterback, the fact that their two quarterbacks minicamp passing statistics are being dissected speaks volumes about the microscope New York's Siamese quarterbacks will be under this season.