Report: Tebow a ‘virtual certainty’ to play for Jacksonville Jaguars in 2013

According to ESPN.com's Chris Mortensen, the Jacksonville Jaguars are a "virtual certainty" to acquire current New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow in 2013, via free agency or the trade route. Tebow, who remains a bit player with the Jets after the team bumped Greg McElroy above to starter following the decision to bench Mark Sanchez this week, has reportedly requested that the Jets trade or release him.

Tebow, who is from the Jacksonville area, has been the subject of the franchise's interest for quite some time. In March, Jaguars owner Shad Khan put himself in with the Jets in the derby for Tebow's services, offering a fourth-round pick and $3 million to offset Tebow contract with the Denver Broncos. But Tebow chose the Jets, and that hasn't worked out for him at all.

After throwing 126 completions in 271 attempts for 1,729 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2011 for the Broncos, Tebow was relegated to the role of option/gimmick player for the Jets. He's completed six of just eight passes for a total of 39 yards in 2012.

"That would have been the worst thing for Jacksonville and the worst thing for him," Khan said at the NFL's annual league meetings in March after Tebow made his decision.

"He didn't want to come, obviously ... Any one of the 53 players we have, have to be committed to Jacksonville, making us be the best team we are. The question was: Did he want to come? And if the decision had been taken out [of his hands] and we got him, that would not be good for him, or for us."

The Jags were also in a different position at that point -- they were still trying to see what they had in quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who has been a relative failure since he was selected 10th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. Now, with Chad Henne starting in place of the injured Gabbert, and a far more open quarterback competition forthcoming, Tebow may very well be ready to get back to his roots and see what happens.