Manning Picks Broncos, Tebow-to-Miami Rumors Imminent

By David Hill (nbcmiami.com)

With Tim Tebow suddenly on the outs in Denver, could Miami snatch up the former Gator?

Peyton Manning has made his choice, and will play for the Denver Broncos in 2012 according to a report from ESPN. This can only mean one thing: Dolphins fans will have to endure a string of Tim Tebow rumors in the coming days and weeks.

Contract discussions between the Broncos and Manning are underway, and Tebow could be on the trading block as soon as a deal is finalized. The former Heisman Trophy winner and Florida Gator started 13 games (including 2 playoff starts) for Denver last season, leading the team to its first playoff win in years in the Wild Card round of the AFC playoffs.

It is not known whether the Dolphins are actually interested in adding Tebow, but considering the fact that free agent quarterbacks are shunning Miami at an alarming rate, they may have no choice but to at least think about adding Tebow.

Not that such a move would come without controversy. Tebow is one of the most polarizing players in the NFL, as his mechanically unsound throwing motion and poor completion percentage are dismissed by his backers in favor of his won-loss record and running abilities.

Tebow completed 46.5 percent of his passes in 2011, the worst among starting quarterbacks in the NFL. His 123.5 yards per game was also last in the NFL. But those bad stats were partially overshadowed by his late-game dramatics. Tebow led Denver on 5 fourth-quarter comebacks last season, including a 18-15 overtime victory in Miami after the Dolphins had a 15-0 lead late in the fourth quarter.

But the Dolphins still might consider adding Tebow if only for a boost in ticket sales. There are plenty of Gators fans in Miami with fond memories of Tebow's time at UF, when the school won two national championships with his help. Tebow would not provide the kind of marketing boost Manning would have, but he would certainly sell more tickets than David Garrard or Matt Moore.

Regardless of what happens with Tebow, Manning's move to Denver likely means Alex Smith will not be joining the Dolphins. San Francisco had a three-year offer on the table for Smith before emerging as a contender for Manning last week. Smith made a visit to Miami over the weekend to hear the Dolphins' sales pitch, but the 49ers are likely to rekindle talks with Smith and lock him up soon.

One thing is for certain, though, the Dolphins are running out of options at quarterback. Barring any kind of miracle, things could get even uglier in Miami before they get any better.