A rough month in the development of Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow is about to get a little rougher.
Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports got some some eye-opening quotes from various members of the Broncos organization that will make waves in Denver.
“If everything was totally equal, and this were a competition based only on performance at this camp, Tebow would probably be the fourth-string guy,” one source told Silver. “Kyle [Orton] is far and away the best, and Tebow’s way behind [Brady] Quinn, too. And I’m telling you, Adam Weber is flat-out better right now.”
Weber, an undrafted rookie, has no chance to actually pass Tebow on the depth chart. But Weber has looked impressive when given the chance, and Tebow is struggling to work under center or grasp a pro offense.
One Broncos executive says to, “Forget about how [Tebow] delivers the ball, or how accurate it is. First he has to know where to go with it.”
We’re getting to the point that this feels like piling on. It seems clear Tebow has a long way to go, and this Broncos staff may never fully embrace him as the answer. They see him as a project.
Silver confirms the Broncos were willing to trade Kyle Orton to the Dolphins for a third-round pick in late July. Receiver Brandon Lloyd called it a “relief” when Orton stayed put.
“Sometimes the best things that happen to you in life are the things that don’t happen,” one high-ranking official told Silver.
The usual caveats apply. Tebow was always supposed to take time. Through hard work, the Broncos think perhaps he could improve enough to start.
Maybe Tebow will be a succesful starter someday, in Denver or elsewhere. If that happens, we’ll hear a lot about how Tebow proved the “haters” wrong and overcame some low moments in his career.
It’s hard to imagine it will get much lower than being called the fourth-best quarterback on the Broncos, by the Broncos.