Good news for the Jets: Coach Todd Bowles is giving Tim Tebow time to catch his breath. The Jets re-signed their free-agent quarterback Monday, and he will most likely be under center when they face the Rams on Sept. 23. How much time will Tebow get? There’s no telling. He won’t be able to play unless he’s signed to a deal by the end of the week — the league-mandated deadline for compensatory draft picks. Bowles said he is “comfortable” with Tebow “playing but not necessarily every single play” because he wants to do what’s best for the team.
On the other side of the coin, the 49ers are without a quarterback. So Jimmy Garoppolo, who just got a contract extension and is the frontrunner to be the Niners’ starter this fall, is left to just throw in garbage time. If the 49ers do not end up landing a No. 1, third- or fourth-round quarterback by draft day, head coach Kyle Shanahan will have to turn to a rookie as his first-stringer. The sense of urgency is palpable.
The Giants have no quarterback controversy. When Eli Manning signed a four-year contract extension, there was a furor in the New York area about his spot on the roster. In a league that values turnover, Manning’s contract is puzzling because his contract was not guaranteed. There was no way the Giants could stand pat. There are eight free agents and three draft picks at quarterback on the Giants’ roster, but Manning is their starter. It will be a big offseason for quarterback.
The Tennessee Titans released quarterback Brandon Weeden on Monday, eliminating a Plan B if the worst-case scenario occurred and the Titans failed to sign Kirk Cousins. That plan now remains active, as the Titans will spend this weekend trying to land the Redskins’ pending free agent. Cousins is the type of player — guaranteed, smart, durable — the Titans need. They’re hopeful the Redskins can still sign him, which means that the plan will be completed by June 12. He could spend the rest of the year in Tennessee working out with Titans quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone.
The most-watched rivalry in football has a new look. The Cowboys’ move into their new $1.2 billion palace will go a long way toward giving the NFL the Super Bowl it has craved for years. Two days before the Cowboys were scheduled to play in the first regular-season game at the stadium, owner Jerry Jones and Commissioner Roger Goodell gathered at the venue to officially accept the team’s move. According to Goodell, the space will be the envy of every NFL stadium. While the Cowboys are scheduled to have three home games at AT&T Stadium — one under its existing $1.2 billion deal and two by switch to a single-team facility — the facility could host an NFL kickoff game, a Thanksgiving Day game and even a Super Bowl.