There have been players in the NFL that have a crazy fan following and a media circus wherever they go, and then there is Tim Tebow. Tebow is on a whole other level. While his career hasn’t panned out the way many hoped and expected, he hasn’t given up. We have all seen the good with Tebow, the game-winning drives or leading the team to an unprecedented comeback, or even a come from behind overtime playoff win. But with the good comes the bad, and when it’s bad, its tough to watch. We have watched the 7 completions for 48 yards through 3 quarters stat lines, the overthrowing a wide open receiver, or tossing an interception when there is no one with the same color jersey in the area. While this is all part of the legend of Tebow, the tides could turn for him with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The biggest difference for Tebow with the Eagles is his role amongst the quarterbacks and the offense he plays in. With the Eagles he will be a 3rd stringer who would likely only see extended time under center in emergency situations. He isn’t being counted on for 4 quarters and isn’t expected to lead the team to victory week in and week out. He knows and understands his role in the offense and his role on the team. While it is a different role than what he is used to, it is one that he must grasp if he wants to continue his career in the NFL. And it won’t come easy; Tebow must compete with Matt Barkley, a former 4th round pick for the final quarterback roster spot. Barkley has been in the offense and under this coaching staff in Philadelphia for 2 seasons now. He will have the edge in experience over Tebow as well as overall throwing ability.

However, there are aspects of Tebow’s game that will separate him from Barkley and the other competition. His winning pedigree is second to none. His ability to move inside and outside the pocket is top of the line. In Chip Kelly’s offense, mobility is a plus, and that is exactly what Tebow brings to the table. Another positive to Tebow’s game is his willingness to do whatever it takes to make the team and contribute in any way possible. When Tebow was with the New York Jets, he was the personal protector on the punt team, something you would never expect from a quarterback at any level.

The biggest difference this year versus years prior that will benefit Tebow is the new rules regarding the extra point and two-point conversion. The new extra point has been moved back to the 15 yard line, essentially making it a 33 yard field goal. While it is still a pretty easy try, it isn’t essentially a guaranteed kick like the previous extra point was. This makes the two-point conversion a much more interesting and enticing option. With the kick much more difficult, teams could elect to go for two instead of kicking the extra point. This is where Tebow could carve out a role with the Eagles. With his versatility, Tebow could run a variety of plays at the two yard line that could earn the Eagles an extra point after a touchdown. His ability to run the read option as well as throw the ball close to the end zone could give him the edge over Barkley for the last quarterback spot.

Tebow still has aspects of his game that need work if he is to make the Eagles’ 53 man roster. He needs to continue to develop his passing skills and work on his accuracy, as well as being more consistent in his decision making, which are the biggest reasons he has struggled to stick on a NFL roster thus far in his career. That being said, he has the versatility and the intangibles as well as the desire to win that can’t be found in other quarterbacks in the league. Tebow needs to continue to show his skills in training camp in order to make the squad in Philadelphia. It is an attainable goal for Tebow, and with the new rule changes, his future looks brighter than it did before.