Unusually quiet in recent weeks, the New York Jets shattered the calm Wednesday by completing a trade for polarizing quarterback Tim Tebow.

The Jets sent two picks — a fourth-rounder and sixth-rounder in 2012 — to the Denver Broncosin exchange for a seventh-round selection.

Tebow, a former first-round pick, went on the trading block Monday when the Broncos secured free agent Peyton Manning, who signed a five-year, $96 million contract.

Several teams expressed interest, including Tebow’s hometown Jacksonville Jaguars, but the Jets — perceived as a sleeper at the outset — pulled off the splashiest trade of the offseason.

Tebow — he has three years remaining on his contract, with a base salary in 2012 of $1.1 million — will join a cast of backups behind incumbent Mark Sanchez, but his presence could ignite a quarterback controversy. Cornerback Antonio Cromartie tweeted before the trade that “we don’t need Tebow,” expressing his confidence in Sanchez and the current roster.

Asked on Tuesday what he thought it would be like to play with Tebow, Sanchez told FoxSportsRadio in Los Angeles, “I think Peyton (Manning) will do great, I think Tim will do great no matter what happens. He’s either going to get a great chance to learn from one of the best quarterbacks to ever play, or he moves on somewhere else and he uses his skills at another ballclub. He definitely has talent. He knows how to win, he knows how to inspire players.”

The timing of the trade is curious.

CONTINUED at ESPN New York. Video at link.

Peyton Manning will become the next quarterback of the Denver Broncos, barring a snag during intensified contract negotiations that have commenced under the instruction of the four-time MVP to his agent Tom Condon, according to multiple sources.

Once the Manning deal becomes official, Denver will try to trade Tim Tebow, according to sources.

Manning instructed Condon to negotiate the finite details of a contract that would conclude with him joining the Broncos after a frenzied but focused process that began when the Indianapolis Coltsreleased him March 7.

Manning called Broncos vice president of football operations John Elway on Monday morning to tell him the news. Manning also called the San Francisco 49ers and Tennessee Titans to inform them of his intent to now play for Denver.

Titans owner Bud Adams released a statement Monday saying: “Obviously I am disappointed, because I thought we would be a perfect fit.

CONTINUED at ESPN. Video at link.

A plane carrying Peyton Manning has arrived in the Denver area.

The legendary quarterback is meeting with executives with the Denver Broncos to discuss the potential of signing with the team.

CBS4 reporter Gary Miller says Manning has strong interest in the Broncos and the team could be among the top 5 teams Manning is considering.

“Manning will visit other places, he’ll visit Arizona and he’ll visit Miami,” said Miller. “But at this point, the Broncos believe that they may well be the favorites to land Peyton Manning. And indeed, the first visit he’s making is here to Denver.”

CONTINUED at CBS Denver.

Just when you thought Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow was down; like a phoenix, he rises from the ashes.

Tebow and the Broncos were last seen Saturday night walking off the field after getting shellacked by Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

The former Florida Gators quarterback couldn’t muster any offense in the game and was outclassed on the field by Brady.

But, Tebow has been a ratings draw for CBS and now, the network wants to get Tebow in the studio this Sunday for the AFC Championship game.

According to USAToday.com, CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus said CBS has had conversations with Tebow’s people and are waiting to hear back from the popular quarterback.

McManus said CBS is hoping to hear from Tebow by midweek.

Source: CBS Miami.

My Two Cents: Love him or hate him, Tebow either successfully uses the “power of prayer” (if you believe in that sort of thing). Then again, the Vikings suck worse than my last gf’s bj’s. Sorry Jesus, gotta side with the Vikings current level of suck on this one. End Two Cents.

If there’s justice, Tim Tebow just clinched whatever it was he was supposed to clinch.

After another sensational late-game performance, Tebow lifted the Broncos to a 35-32 victory Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.

“I’ve definitely seen that a couple times from No. 15,” said Vikings receiver Percy Harvin, a former Tebow teammate at the University of Florida whose terrific 175 yards from scrimmage, two-touchdown effort was spoiled by Tebow leading the Broncos to 28 second-half points. “When I hear all those ESPN commentators say, ‘He can’t do this,’ I laugh. After the game, I whispered in his ear, ‘Let ‘em keep hating. Keep ‘em hating on you.’ ”

Having lifted a team back from a 1-4 record and seemingly in contention for the future quarterback likes of Matt Barkley, Landry Jones or Robert Griffith III, Tebow, and his Broncos, are now in control of their own playoff destiny.

By virtue of his 6-1 record as a starter that has moved the Broncos (7-5) from last place in the AFC West to a tie with Oakland on top, Tebow has become not just the man of the hour, or the Broncos’ quarterback of the year.

CONTINUED at Denver Post.

*Taken from Fox Sports.

Jake Plummer and Tim Tebow actually have a fair amount in common, if you think about it.

Both played quarterback for the Denver Broncos(Plummer from 2003-06), and both won games in ways that were not always described as “pretty.”

But Plummer seems to have run out of patience with Tebow’s prayer routine and wishes that the Broncos’ current QB would tone it down a bit.

“Tebow, regardless of whether I wish he’d just shut up after a game and go hug his teammates, I think he’s a winner and I respect that about him,” Plummer told XTRA Sports 910 in Phoenix on Monday.

“I think that when he accepts the fact that we know that he loves Jesus Christ then I think I’ll like him a little better.”

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