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Officially, Tebow is neither third string nor second string

Oakland Raiders v Denver Broncos

DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 12: Quarterback Tim Tebow #15 of the Denver Broncos looks on from the bench against the Oakland Raiders at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on September 12, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Raiders defeated the Broncos 23-20. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Getty Images

While doing some research (yes, I do some research . . . sometimes) for today’s PFT Live, I noticed something odd on the Broncos online depth chart.

Though it’s widely believed that Tim Tebow is the third-string quarterback in Denver, he isn’t. But he isn’t the second-stringer, either.

On the team’s three-deep depth chart, the second string quarterback is “Brady Quinn or Tim Tebow.” Given the elimination of the emergency quarterback rule, it doesn’t matter who’s No. 2 or No. 3 if both guys will be among the 46 active players on game day. But the team’s reluctance to apply the official second-string or third-string label makes little sense.

It could be that the Broncos don’t want to expose Tebow to the official indignity of being the third-string quarterback, and that the team also doesn’t want Tebow to be in the on-deck circle behind the starter on a team that could once again struggle.

Either way, at some point the fans will demand -- loudly -- that Tebow plays. And it won’t matter where he is on the depth chart. For more, check out the first segment of today’s PFT Live.