Niles: Give Tebow a chance

A Case for Tim Tebow

By Brandon Niles Big Sky Weekly sports commentator

Following the Denver Broncos defeat on the opening Monday night of this NFL season, fans have been clamoring for Tim Tebow to take over the starting QB role.

The incumbent, Kyle Orton, has shown flashes of ability at times and has piled up passing yards since his arrival in 2009. His prolific numbers have not resulted in many victories, however, and Orton has gone 11-18 as a starter with the team.

Tebow was drafted in the first round last year after a stellar career at the University of Florida. Known as a raw prospect with tremendous talent and heart, many question his throwing mechanics and ability to adapt to the NFL style of play. Tebow has always put forth a positive image however, and he possesses an indefinable “it” factor that fans believe could propel him into the upper echelon of NFL quarterbacks.

Since Tebow was drafted, the previous coaching regime has been let go and former Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox has taken over. Certain fans have even stated they are going to erect billboards in Denver to try and persuade Fox to start Tebow over Orton.

Many would like Tebow to start because he seems like a good guy that has the star power to put people in the seats. But there’s an excellent argument to be made for starting Tebow from a gameplay standpoint. The Broncos are not a very good football team right now, and are in a rebuilding process that should take a few years to get going.

Accumulating young talent and developing personnel for the long haul should be the Broncos’ primary objective. As a result, it makes little sense to continue with Orton, despite the fact that he probably gives them a better chance at winning right now. Rather, it’s important to see what Tebow can do. The team already knows what Orton brings to the table, and leading a rebuilding effort for the long-term future of the franchise isn’t it.

Instead, the Broncos should start Tebow, let him learn and develop this season, and then re-evaluate the position heading into the 2012 NFL draft. If this team was built in a way that an above-average QB like Orton could make a playoff push, then starting Orton would be the best move. However, with the current state of the team, the best move to make is to start the young players now and let them gain valuable experience while evaluating them as future pillars of the franchise.