With the Denver Broncos in full pursuit of Peyton Manning, many Broncos fans are rightfully excited about the possibility of adding one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL to the roster. At the same time, the level of praise and adoration for the team's current starter, Tim Tebow, creates a weird dividing line that is going to lead to some inevitable tension.
Yahoo's Mike Silver wonders if it's all too much even for the laid-back kid from Florida. Eventually everyone crumbles under dashed expectations and the excitement from last season's upset playoff victory over the Steelers one year after picking No. 2 in the 2011 NFL Draft seems to have been forgotten by the front office. John Elway is ready to move on, at least it seems. Silver writes:
Tebow seems to possess an uncanny supply of optimism, along with an innate ability to block out negativity in the name of competitive considerations. Each time he suffered an apparent indignity during the 2011 season, he seemingly resisted the temptation to engage, instead channeling his energy into proving people wrong and leading from within.
However, though some Tebowphiles might suggest otherwise, he is a human being. Like most quarterbacks who rise to the NFL level, he has a healthy sense of self, and the Broncos’ conspicuous push to sign Manning – and the apparent indifference toward Tebow that accompanies it – can’t be easy to stomach.
Will Tebow want out of Denver in the end? Will the Broncos shoot themselves in the foot if Manning doesn't come to Denver? There's a lot to work out if this flirtation in the public eye becomes all for nothing. While wounds will eventually heal, the reality is that there is nothing more Tim Tebow can do. They say winning cures everything, but the Broncos aren't giving any credence to the wins that Tebow helped pull off in a season that was supposed to be a rebuilding year.
Check out more on the Broncos quarterback situation at Mile High Report. For more on where Manning could land, check out the SB Nation storystream here.
