Tim Tebow's days in New York appeared numbered when the Jets tried to trade the quarterback at the NFL scouting combine and after the draft over the weekend, the team continued in that direction, as they selected Geno Smith with the 39th overall pick out of West Virginia and then decided to release the quarterback ahead of Monday's workouts, making him a free agent.
According to ESPN.com, the pick could spark a number of decisions for the Jets, including the possibility of releasing quarterback Mark Sanchez as well. The report says that sources conveyed that the Jets could explore that option with a June 1 designation, meaning he would count $12.35 million against the cap for this season and $4.8 million the next. The Jets have a number of quarterbacks on the roster behind Sanchez, including Tebow, David Garrard, Matt Simms and Greg McElroy.
The pick of Smith could actually end up helping Tebow in the long run, as sources said that his offseason work is showing results and some in the organization feel he can be an asset to another team in the league on offense. There is a chance that the Jets will give up on Sanchez and on the roster, leaving him behind Garrard and possibly Smith. Tebow on the other hand, has spent the offseason working with Vinny Testaverde and Chris Weinke and he has lost weight entering the offseason workout program.
The Jets have been frustrated with Sanchez over the past two seasons and despite the fact that the team traded up four years ago to get him with the fifth pick and that his cap hit is large, they may want to cut ties and move on without him. Smith may not be the answer next season, but John Idzik is putting his future along with his progress and after showing off his skills at the combine and in workouts, the Jets felt he was the right pick. He is the fastest of the quarterbacks in the draft and while he is not as athletic as Robert Griffin, he started last season with 25 touchdowns before throwing his first interception. One issue may be ball control, as he has fumbled a lot, and he finished the season with 42 touchdowns passes and just six interceptions.
Smith slipped down in the first round after being projected as a possible top 10 pick and it was too good for the Jets to pass up. The team selected Dee Milliner with its first pick and then selected defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson with the 13th pick. Many fans were hoping the team would select a dynamic offensive player and now they have that in Smith and depending on how things go, he could start next season. Tebow may need a position change and he could sign with the Patriots, Buccaneers, Seahawks or Browns.