The New York Jets chiseled away at their epic quarterback depth chart on Monday by waving farewell to Tim Tebow.
It was a move long in the making. New York washes its hands of a headache-inducing, public drama, and Tebow is set free to find work elsewhere. But will he?
Tebow's days as a starting quarterback appear over, but his experience with read-option concepts couldn't come at a better time. While it's plausible Tebow's next gig comes up north in Canada -- or at a CVS near you -- forging an NFL career as a fullback/tight end/X-factor isn't out of the question.
Let's examine a handful of possible landing spots:
New England Patriots: As coach Bill Belichick watched the Jets muddle around with Tebow last season, he went on record in October to say, "Of course he's a valuable guy." Belichick adores players from the University of Florida and might embrace the chance to use Tebow creatively on offense at a position other than quarterback. Turning Jets trash into Patriots treasure is a motivator.
San Diego Chargers: The link here is coach Mike McCoy, who squeezed every gift out of Tebow back in 2011 as offensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos. Philip Rivers is cemented under center, but McCoy is a highly innovative thinker who's proven he can make the most of Tebow's skill set.
Seattle Seahawks: Bottom line: Does Tebow give you a better read-option-friendly backup than Brady Quinn, Josh Portis or Jerrod Johnson? Yes, and coach Pete Carroll isn't afraid to do the unexpected.
Washington Redskins: Same situation here. If the Redskins signed Pat White to simulate Robert Griffin III in practice, couldn't Tebow do the same?
Chicago Bears: A couple factors here: New coach Marc Trestman worked with Tebow prior to the 2010 draft and held the quarterback's CFL rights as coach of the Montreal Alouettes. Back in January, a source told ProFootballTalk.com of Tebow's post-Jets future: "Watch the Bears."
Oakland Raiders: Coach Dennis Allen witnessed Tebow's theatrics firsthand in Denver, and the Raiders need every weapon they can find on offense. Why not bring him in to compete?
Cleveland Browns: It's a long way from sunny Florida, but coach Rob Chudzinski ran an option-fueled offense with the Carolina Panthers; none of Cleveland's current quarterbacks bring that flavor. The Browns didn't add a passer in the 2013 NFL Draft and appear married to the idea of giving Brandon Weeden another chance this season, but Tebow would give this young team some flexibility.
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And while this next one's a logical fit -- at least from a marketing angle -- it won't happen:
Jacksonville Jaguars: General manager David Caldwell said in January, "I can't imagine a scenario where (Tebow) would be a Jacksonville Jaguar." Asked if that might change if Tebow were released, Caldwell was firm: "Even if he's released."
UPDATE: When we polled our NFL.com readers on Twitter, 48.9 percent of you thought Tebow would wind up in the Canadian Football League. A total of 17.6 percent put him on the Jaguars, with 13.3 percent sending him to the Patriots. The Raiders, Eagles, Cardinals, Cowboys, Browns and Titans rounded out the most popular responses.
UPDATE II: USA Today's Mike Garafolo reported Monday that the Bears, Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren't interested in Tebow. When asked if Seattle might take a look, Seahawks general manager John Schneider said, "Uh, no." Also, the Jaguarsstill don't want him, and the Cowboysreportedly won't sign him.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
