Tim Tebow probably did enough to show he deserves a job in the NFL. He just didn’t do enough to show he deserves a job with the Philadelphia Eagles. Tebow’s release by the Eagles may not even be the biggest surprise of the final cut-down day, as multiple veteran signal-callers got their walking papers over the weekend.
For Tebow, who looked sharp in his final preseason game, the journey to find an NFL home continues. And according to Eagles head coach Chip Kelly, it probably won’t be the Eagles even if a job opens up later.
“Tim’s really progressed,” Kelly said. “But we didn’t feel like he was good enough to be the three right now. He just needs to get out there and get more reps.”
Is the NFL done with Tim Tebow?… http://t.co/rNpTWZYHiZ
— MarkMaske (@MarkMaske) September 6, 2015
Of course, it’s tough to get reps when you’re not on a team, but you’d think Tebow will find a job after throwing for 189 yards and a couple of touchdowns in his final appearance with Philadelphia. Of course, I’ve thought that before.
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The good news for the other unemployed quarterbacks out there is that Kelly is looking to go into the season with three quarterbacks on the roster (behind starter Sam Bradford and back up Mark Sanchez). Who’s that guy going to be? The rumor out there may shock you.
Multiple sources tell me the #Eagles have interest in Christian Ponder. Team always maintained it's about putting together "the best 53".
— Rand Getlin (@RandGetlin) September 5, 2015
Yep. Christian Ponder, the former Minnesota Vikings first round pick. Ponder was jettisoned by the Oakland Raiders Saturday and you wonder what the Eagles and Kelly think they see in Ponder that was lacking in Tebow. I guess we’ll find out.
Tebow’s release is doubly surprising since the team traded his main competition, Matt Barkley, to the Arizona Cardinals in a move that solidifies that team’s quarterback situation for probably the next decade. Barkley had outplayed every QB on the Eagles’ roster except Bradford this preseason. The Cardinals got Barkley for a conditional seventh-round pick.
The Barkley trade immediately cost Cards back up Logan Thomas his job.
Rams part ways with Davis
The St. Louis Rams cut back up Austin Davis who played in 10 games for them last season. Davis had a penchant for making big plays at the beginning of games and costly turnovers at the end of those same games. At the same time, he did prove he had an NFL arm and the Rams did win some games with him at quarterback so he should find work with another team. Davis completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 2,001 yards, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Rams cut Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Austin Davis, Barrett Jones, Louis Trinca-Pasat, and supplemental pick Isaiah Battle.
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) September 5, 2015
Davis was the odd-man out in the Rams’ quarterback rotation after the team traded for Case Keenum and drafted Sean Mannion this offseason.
Notable quarterback cuts
The Miami Dolphins just can’t stop cutting Josh Freeman. Friday the Dolphins cut Freeman for the second time this preseason, sending the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise quarterback back to the streets where they found him back in February.
You’d think the New York Jets would be desperate to keep a quarterback with a winning record on their roster, but it didn’t help former Green Bay Packer Matt Flynn keep a job. Flynn was cut, along with Josh Johnson, leaving the Jets with three quarterbacks – Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith and eventual starter Bryce Petty.
The Buffalo Bills made a similar choice with Matt Cassel, who they acquired in a trade with the Vikings earlier in the offseason. Cassel played well in the preseason, but the Bills got a surprising resurgence from E.J. Manuel and Tyrod Taylor burst onto the scene, making Cassel and his salary cap number expendable. Matt Simms also got cut, but even his dad expected that one to happen.
The Atlanta Falcons parted ways with two former NFL starters over the weekend. Rex Grossman and T.J. Yates are both unemployed after the Falcons decided to go with Sean Renfree as Matt Ryan’s back up. Grossman started games for the Redskins and the Chicago Bears, who he lead to the Super Bowl in 2007. Yates started for the Houston Texans at the end of 2011 and led them to their first-ever playoff win over the Cincinnati Bengals that same year.
