Jaguars GM “can’t imagine” acquiring Tim Tebow

Despite reports to the contrary at the conclusion of the 2012 regular season, new Jacksonville Jaguars general manager David Caldwell all but slammed the door shut on quarterback Tim Tebow joining the team next season.

“As far as Tim goes, he is a member of the New York Jets. I can’t imagine a scenario where he would be a Jacksonville Jaguar,” Caldwell said Thursday in his introductory press conference, affirming moments later that would remain the case should he be a free agent. “I can’t imagine a scenario where he would be a Jacksonville Jaguar…even if he’s released,” he added. [Video]

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported on Dec. 23, 2012 that it was a “virtual certainty” Tebow would wind up playing for Jacksonville in 2013.

One day later, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport released a similar report, stating emphatically that Tebow “will be a Jaguar” in 2013 and that the team would even consider trading for him in order to assure that they acquire his services.

Though neither Mortensen nor Rapoport’s reports were linked to Jaguars owner Shahid Khan, he stated one year ago that he would have had no problem trading for Tebow and would have “absolutely” drafted Tebow if he was owner of the team back in 2010.

It now appears as if Khan has decided (or Caldwell has convinced his owner) to forget about acquiring Tebow this season despite the fact that Jacksonville will have an open competition at quarterback.

With NFL starting jobs now likely off the table for 2013, the Tebow watch now centers on whether any team will even give him an opportunity to compete for a back-up role should he be released from his contract with the Jets as expected.