The Simple Reason Why The Jets Are Still Hanging On To Tim Tebow

During Peter King's weekly "Monday Morning QB" column for Sports Illustrated, he responded to the Darrelle Revis trade with a statement on the minds of many NFL fans:

"...after the 2012 season I'm dumbfounded that Tim Tebow is still a Jet and Darrelle Revis isn't."

But there is a simple reason the Jets haven't released Tebow yet: There is almost nothing to gain by releasing him before the draft.

When the Jets do decide to release Tebow, the move will clear only $1.5 million in cap space for the 2013 season. Even after the Revis trade (which actually added $3 million to the Jets' cap), the Jets already have more than $11 million in cap space, and another $1.5 million is not going to help right now.

It is not until after the Draft, when the Jets start signing their picks, that they will need the extra cap space.

The Jets would rather trade Tebow than cut him for nothing.

So there is no harm in them waiting and seeing if another team gets desperate and offers a late-round pick for Tebow. And if that doesn't happen, they will then release Tebow after the Draft and still be in the same position as they would have been if they released him before the Draft.

Certainly it is a long shot to hope a team will offer the Jets something of value for the fallen star. But it would be silly to not try when there is nothing to lose.