Why did Jaguars sign Tim Tebow? Trying to make sense of Urban Meyer's odd plan

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So much for "Tim Tebow to Jacksonville" being a thing of the past. The Jaguars made the signing of their hometown quarterback a reality on Thursday after weeks of rumors — despite the fact Tebow is now a 33-year-old tight end. 

Tebow, who last was an NFL player in 2015, when he was cut in the preseason by the Eagles, is being brought back to the league by his former Florida coach, Urban Meyer. Since leaving the NFL, Tebow has spent the past six-plus years as a different kind of professional athlete — a minor league outfielder and designated hitter for the New York Mets.

"I want to thank the Jaguars for the opportunity to compete and be a part of this team," Tebow said in a statement. "I know it will be a challenge, but it is a challenge I embrace. I am dedicated to taking the direction of the coaching staff and learning from my teammates. I appreciate everyone's support as I embark on this new journey."

So why would Meyer make this move, when reality says Tebow is a longshot to have an impact on the field at his advanced age and long layoff from the game? Here's digging deep to find anything that makes this move make sense.

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Urban Meyer loves Tim Tebow

Let's start with the obvious. Tebow did win a Heisman Trophy in 2007 between two national championships with Meyer and the Gators in 2006 and 2008. Meyer has had many great QBs over his successful college career, including just-retired Alex Smith, but Tebow was his prized pupil as a dual-threat passer, leader and winner.

This isn't much different from former Gators coach Steve Spurrier signing Danny Wuerffel, his beloved Heisman- and natty-winner, to be Washington's QB in 2002.

Tim Tebow brings more local good vibes

Tebow is the pride of Jacksonville in every which way. Logic would say the drafting of can't-miss Trevor Lawrence as the new franchise QB would provide plenty enough of needed positive feelings around Duval County.

But there's no doubt that Tebow brings more attention to the Jaguars, for better or worse. For the fan base, Meyer and owner Shad Khan are somehow thinking Tebow can serve as an extra hype man, given that "excited" is his favorite word. 

The Jaguars don't have the greatest tight end situation

One year with Tyler Eifert didn't make the position relevant for the Jaguars in 2020.  After the draft, this was the Jaguars' tight end depth chart: former Panthers backup Chris Manhertz, holdover James O'Shaughnessy and rookie fifth-round blocker Luke Farrell, probably taken only because he played for Meyer's successor Ryan Day at Ohio State. 

That's arguably the worst situation at the position in the NFL, with limited blocking and receiving. That's especially bad knowing that tight ends can be great security blankets for rookie quarterbacks.

There's been a lot of talk about Tebow, at 6-3, 245 pounds, playing tight end in the NFL before after the rise and fall of Tebomania in Denver. But no team, including the versatile player-coveting Patriots, lined him up in that capacity. So instead of investing better free-agent or draft capital to upgrade tight end, Meyer is hoping to convert Tebow into a useable asset at a position of need when he is well past his football prime.

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The Jaguars need another Urban Meyer surrogate

Meyer has come into Jacksonville with some arrogance, that his team will outwork every other team in the NFL and will itself into a winning turnaround, accelerating a big rebuilding job with Lawrence as the centerpiece. Although he has made that message loud and clear regarding his approach to pro coaching, he needs someone out there in the offseason program through training camp to further sell his Urban renewal to the players on the field in practice.

Tebow has done well to try to be an inspirational force off the field since leaving the NFL. Meyer is hoping all that high-effort "excitement" gets absorbed, even if the team would part ways with Tebow before the season.

Urban Meyer needed a new questionable move for media fodder

Meyer was excellent as a Fox Sports college football analyst. He knows television. He knows a lot of football pundits, former players and others like to talk about controversial moves on TV. Meyer is doing all of them a favor (and more than a few skeptical sportswriters, too) with his interest in Tebow.

Meyer's hiring was the starting talking point, being immediately attached to Lawrence. Then there have been some shaky staff hires, none worse than since-fired strength coach Chris Doyle. Then there was debating how much personnel power Meyer has vs. GM Trent Baalke. Then came the head-scratching second first-round pick of Lawrence's running back at Clemson, Travis Etienne. Then insert your own Meyer move here. 

Think of the Jaguars with Meyer as last year's Buccaneers after signing Tom Brady, but with all kinds of weird buzz and none of it championship-related. Putting in Tebow in a football headline in 2021 and getting some fools to write several hundred words about it? That's the true Meyer genius at work.

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