At this point, what harm could it really do?
The Denver Broncos are 3-10, Kyle Orton has fizzled after an incredibly strong start to the season, and Josh McDaniels has been fired. With three games left in his rookie season, it’s time to see what Tim Tebow can do.
I understood not making the switch a month ago when the Broncos were almost still in it. It is, after all, the AFC West we’re talking about. Anything can, and usually does, happen. But now that the Broncos are officially out, there’s no reason to keep the first-round pick on the bench.
Even if the next head coach isn’t sold on Tebow’s potential as an NFL quarterback, he will likely be told by owner Pat Bowlen to find a way to make it work. First-round picks, and especially quarterbacks (and especially a guy like Tebow), are given every opportunity to succeed and Tebow will be no different.
So, if I’m Bowlen, I want to at least get a peak at the guy who was drafted to be the franchise quarterback and see what my team has gotten itself into.
And for the head coach, former running backs coach Eric Studesville, it could present him an opportunity to hold onto a spot for which he is likely not qualified at this point. If he can win a couple games with Tebow at the helm and show a bond with the former Florida star, Bowlen might think it in the team’s best interest to keep him around and continue working with Tebow.
It definitely couldn’t hurt Studesville. He was a left-field candidate to become interim head coach and it’s doubtful that this stint is going to be the launch-pad to a head coaching gig elsewhere, so he has nothing to lose.
Winning a couple games with Orton will be seen as a bad team getting lucky with an average quarterback. Winning a couple games with Tebow could be seen as optimism for the future.
It’s not an indictment of Orton, and it’s not an endorsement of Tebow, but it’s time to see what the kid can do.