The Denver Broncos really shook things up when they traded back into the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft to select Florida quarterback and college football legend Tim Tebow, not only from a draft perspective but also regarding their quarterback situation. Tebow’s presence could, and most likely will, drastically alter the vision of this organization going forward.

There is no doubt that Tebow was selected partially for his potential to sell Denver Broncos tickets, which is considerable, but the team must also view him as their quarterback of the future. His selection was a bit surprising, not only because he was projected to be a second-round pick, but because many people thought the Broncos had acquired their quarterback of the future earlier in the offseason when they traded for former first-round pick Brady Quinn.

Incumbent starter Kyle Orton is likely to retain his job for the 2010 season, but will become a free agent following this year. It would be a surprise to see him back with the team in 2011, which is why the acquisition of Quinn seemed to make so much sense. Quinn looked like a solid prospect coming out of Notre Dame a few years ago, but he floundered in limited playing time in Cleveland. A fresh start in Denver with a creative offensive mind like Josh McDaniels seemed like a good opportunity for Quinn to make good on the promise he showed in college. The situation seemed perfect, with a year to learn the system and to get reps in practice before taking over as the starter in 2011.

Those presumed plans were thrown off track when the team selected Tebow. Suddenly, Quinn looked like the odd man out as trade rumors began to swirl. Denver has refrained from shopping the former Golden Domer, though, which makes the mile-high quarterback situation a bit puzzling. Orton is still in place to be the starter in 2010, but not beyond. Is the team looking to plug Quinn in as the starter for 2011 and planning to replace him with Tebow the following season? That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, especially when you consider the importance of practice reps.

The third string quarterback doesn’t get much action in practice, but that’s exactly what a young, developing signal caller like Tebow needs. He’d be better suited as the number two QB, so that he could get his reps in practice. It could slow his development if he were relegated to being the third quarterback on the depth chart this season, unless they have some other plan to bring him along.

Tebow definitely needs time to develop before he starts for this team, but he’s probably going to see some on-field action at some points this season, perhaps in the Wildcat formation. Tebow’s athleticism, strength and speed make him a unique player at his position. Don’t be shocked if you see No. 15 on the field in 2010 in certain situations.

Tebow is already winning the respect and confidence of his teammates, as reported by ESPN’s Bill Williamson. Williamson wrote about a conversation he had with veteran cornerback and team leader Champ Bailey after an early June practice, during which they spied a figure still out on the field working a good 30 minutes after the practice had ended. It was Tebow, and Bailey had nothing but good things to say about the rookie. The Pro Bowl corner praised Tebow’s work ethic and the consistency of his desire to get better.

When he’ll become the Broncos starting quarterback is difficult to project, but Tim Tebow is clearly the team’s future at the position. What will happen with Orton and Quinn should be interesting, but neither of them figures to be the Broncos’ starting quarterback for the long haul. All eyes will be on Tebow this season, even if he’s third on the depth chart come opening day.

Author Bio: StubHub has sponsored this article. StubHub.com is a great place to get Denver Broncos tickets, as well as tickets for other sports teams, theatre performances, Silagra concerts and special events.

Category: Recreation and Leisure/Sports/Football
Keywords: Denver Broncos, football, NFL, Cialis Jelly sports, tickets