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DENNIS BYRD (Anthony J. Causi)
Let’s get this out of the way immediately: The Jets are not trading Tim Tebow.
He’s not going to his hometown Jaguars. The Jets are not shopping him around. They don’t even have their fingers crossed hoping someone calls before next week’s deadline, offering a draft pick. Tebow will be a Jet until at least the end of this season.
It’s the right move. The Jets should not trade Tebow. Right now, they would not get back equal value to what they traded in March (a fourth-round pick), and he can still have a role on this team.
Instead of trading Tebow, the Jets need to play Tebow.
Too often No. 15 has been a spectator during the first seven games. The dynamic multi-purpose weapon coach Rex Ryan and general manager Mike Tannenbaum promised after the trade was made has been a dud.
Every week, we keep waiting for that “a-ha” moment when you say, “That’s why they got him.” We’re still waiting.
This is not a criticism of Tebow. He has not been given a chance. Outside of special teams coach Mike Westhoff, no one seems to have a plan for Tebow. By keeping him on the sideline, the Jets have just fueled the belief that the trade for Tebow was a publicity stunt orchestrated by owner Woody Johnson.
If the trade was a football decision, as the Jets insist, it’s hard to believe that this is what the Jets’ brass envisioned. They spent the spring talking about the ways Tebow could hurt a defense. They spent the summer holding secret practices so the media would not report all of the creative ways they would use Tebow. Ryan talked about games in which Tebow would get 20 snaps.
So far? Tebow has averaged seven snaps per game. He has carried the ball 22 times (twice on punts). He has attempted three passes (one on special teams). He has no touchdowns. Since playing 12 snaps against the Dolphins in Week 3, his playing time has dwindled. He played just five snaps Sunday against the Patriots.
Raise your hand if you expected Lex Hilliard to have a bigger role on the Jets than Tebow.
Sunday’s game in New England was the perfect example of the Jets coaches looking confused on when to use Tebow. On that magnificent first drive of the game, offensive coordinator Tony Sparano used a nice blend of run, pass and Tebow. He ran twice on the scoring drive. But then he did not see the ball again until the end of the third quarter.
On the first drive of the second half, the Jets had a third-and-2 at the Patriots’ 3. If that’s not Tebow Time, when is? Instead of giving him a carry, they threw a slant to Chaz Schilens that was incomplete.
The Jets are not ready to pronounce the Grand Tebow Experiment a failure, even though many people already have. They would argue that he has given them an upgrade at backup quarterback over Mark Brunell or Drew Stanton, who was on the team for a week before Tebow arrived.
The Jets also are thrilled with his impact on the punt team. He has converted three fake punts, and teams are now leaving their starting defenses on the field instead of running punt returns, giving the Jets a lot of “hidden yardage.”
Those points are valid. But the Jets took a significant risk by trading for Tebow. This is not Joe Typical, who can be evaluated simply by what he does on the field.
When they made the trade on March 21, they knew Tebow brought a bunch of baggage with him. ESPN disrupted their training camp with round-the-clock coverage that wore on players. Week after week Ryan and quarterback Mark Sanchez face rounds of questions about Tebow. Both have looked weary in recent weeks when Tebow’s name comes up. Other players in the locker room roll their eyes when hit with a Tebow question.
Then, there’s the idea that he will be here for two more years, as Johnson would like you to believe. At 25, Tebow is about to enter his prime. Do you think he wants to play seven snaps a game and play personal punt protector?
The Jets are fortunate Tebow is such a team guy and never will make a peep about his frustration. But this is one of the most successful college football players ever. For all of his throwing flaws, he led the Broncos to a division title. Eventually, Tebow will get tired of playing second fiddle to Sanchez, if he hasn’t already.
Ryan pointed out how opponents would have to game plan each week to stop Tebow, and it would cost them practice time. There is no doubt that has happened.
But one team has figured out a way to stop Tebow better than anyone in the NFL — the Jets.
Byrd’s No. 90 to be retired
HALFTIME will be emotional at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, as the Jets retire No. 90 in honor of former defensive lineman Dennis Byrd.
It has been 20 years since he suffered a neck injury at Giants Stadium that initially paralyzed him and ended his football career. No one has worn No. 90 since Byrd, and now the Jets formally will retire the jersey.
“It’s just a tremendous honor to be recognized by the Jets, to have that number retired,” he said on a conference call yesterday. “It meant a lot to me as a player.”
Byrd injured his neck on Nov. 29, 1992, while trying to sack Chiefs quarterback Dave Krieg. Byrd collided headfirst with teammate Scott Mersereau. Byrd eventually walked again, but he said he still is recovering from the injury.
“The odd thing is, that an injury I had 20 years ago, there are still encouraging signs of recovery,” Byrd said.
Byrd, now 46, lives in Oklahoma with his family on a ranch and said he leads a “very active” lifestyle.
➤ The Jets worked out tight ends Joey Haynos and Colin Cochart yesterday, according to a source.