Seriously, Jacksonville?

Published on March 22 at 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

By Brian Edwards

Whether it’s a sports franchise or any business of any sort, there are decisions to be made that have pros and cons and then there are no-brainers. With local legend Tim Tebow, an iconic figure for life in the Sunshine State, available at a bargain rate, the Jacksonville Jaguars inexplicably failed to step to the plate and acquire the services of a player who would’ve guaranteed that the franchise would remain in Jacksonville for the next decade and beyond.

They blew it.

There’s no gray area here whatsoever. Even if the Jags had an established quarterback, making the trade to get Tebow was an absolute must.

And, to be clear, the Jags do not have an established signal caller. In fact, they have the worst QB situation in the entire league, but we’ll get back to that shortly.

For the last couple of years, there have been so many empty seats at Alltel Stadium (now EverBank Field) that the Jags put up tarps to cover up the embarrassing absence of fans.

If you trade for Tebow, those tarps disappear. Even if Tebow were brought in just to be a situational player, jerseys would sell and the stadium would be full.

With Tebow, everything changes for the Jags for the better.

Without Tebow, they have Blaine Gabbert as their future. Gabbert was mediocre at Missouri and he’s a piss-poor back-up at the NFL level. He will never have sustained success with Jacksonville or any other team, but his presence is seemingly the reasoning why the Jags didn’t make a stronger play for Tebow.

And that’s insane.

Tebow was set up to fail last year. He was handed the keys to a garbage 1-4 team and the squad’s best wide receiver was traded. Nevertheless, Tebow produced magic and wins in bunches.

Instead of limping to the finish line with meaningless games watched by nobody except for fantasy football players, the Broncos became the talk of the NFL. Instead of finishing in the cellar of the AFC West, they won the division and made the playoffs.

Then against the NFL’s No. 1 defense, Tebow threw for more than 300 yards and the Broncos beat the Steelers in overtime to win a home playoff game. Along the way, Tebow conducted himself with poise and class under the bright lights of the national media.

Meanwhile, the Jags played out the 2011 campaign as if they didn’t exist. Gabbert’s flaws and unwillingness to stand in the pocket and take a hit were on full display.

Months later, the Jags had a chance to make a game-changing, franchise-saving move that would cost them next to nothing.

And they blew it! And they’ll pay for it by most likely leaving the city of Jacksonville for Los Angeles in the next 3-4 years.