New England Patriots quarterback Tim Tebow hasn't had the best preseason showings. Although Tebow isn't concerned about his poor numbers, he could become a roster casualty when the Patriots cut the team down to 53 players.
Tebow's latest preseason outing, on Friday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, fueled speculation that the Heisman-winning quarterback might not make the final 53-man roster. Tebow completed just 1-of-7 passes for -1 yard and an interception.
Despite the dismal performance, is Tebow at all concerned about his spot on the roster?
"No," Tebow told reporters on Tuesday, via the Boston Herald. "I'm just worried about improving every single day."
In two preseason games, Tebow completed 5-of-19 passes for 54 yards and one interception, while adding 61 yards in 10 carries on the ground. Tebow continues to struggle throwing the ball, and he's aware he must improve to make himself a viable option at quarterback.
"Well, you definitely want to do better in some areas, and also you have different things happen that you just try to handle the best way you can," Tebow said. "We did some different things (offensively), but whatever's called, we run and just have to execute."
Patriots coach Bill Belichick on Monday touched on the subject of Tebow but, as usual, wasn't forthcoming about the third-stringer's fate.
"I think if you look at the entire week last week, it would look different than the game did," Belichick told ESPN on Monday. "In some cases, the game looked better for some players, and in some cases the game didn't look as good as some other things during the week. So we'll just have to take all that into consideration."
Belichick likes versatile football players. Tebow's passing hasn't improved, which could lead Belichick to lining up Tebow in different positions. The Patriots have insinuated Tebow is there to play quarterback, but it seems unlikely the team would use a roster spot on Tebow if he can't help the team in other areas - or, other positions.
As for Tebow getting cut, it appears unlikely - the two preseason games showed the Patriots have already created plays that cater to the quarterback's strengths, much like the Denver Broncos did in 2011.
Teams must submit their 53-man roster to the NFL by 6:00 p.m. ET on Aug. 31.
