Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey says he’s behind Tim Tebow as the franchise’s quarterback of the future. But Bailey says Tebow has to prove that he can be a consistently accurate pocket passer before he removes any doubt about his long-term success as an NFL quarterback.
“I think Tim has a lot to prove still,” Bailey said today on Jim Rome Is Burning. “He’s proven he can win some tough games. Now it’s just being consistent. One thing about him, he’s going to work at it. And I’m behind him 100 percent.”
Asked if Tebow will ever be a quarterback who stands in the pocket and reads defenses, Bailey said Tebow has no choice in that matter if he wants to make it in the NFL.
“I think at some point he’ll have to be if he wants to play a long time,” Bailey said. “That’s one area he’s going to have to improve to be elite in this league. But the things he does running the ball — he can make some throws, it’s just being comfortable doing it. He’s got to get better at it, and when he does, the sky’s the limit for him.”
Bailey compared Tebow to Steve Young and Michael Vick, athletic quarterbacks who learned how to use their legs and their arms as complementary attributes.
“I think at some point he’s going to have to improve with his arm, which would make him even more deadly,” Bailey said.
So Tebow is set as the franchise quarterback, just as long as he learns how to become a consistent, accurate passer. Which, considering that Tebow finished the season with a league-worst completion rate of 46.5 percent, may not be a sure thing.