Tim Tebow

Denver sent Tim Tebow and a seventh-round pick to the Jets after signing Peyton Manning, receiving two late-round picks in return. The Broncos handled the transition cleanly after signing Peyton Manning, extracting usable draft value for a quarterback who no longer had a path to starting. The sixth-rounder became Danny Trevathan, which gives Denver’s side real hindsight value beyond the headline of moving on from Tebow. The Jets got attention and short-term intrigue, but Denver got the cleaner roster and better long-term football result.

Denver traded up into the first round at pick 25 overall to select Tim Tebow, sending second-, third-, and fourth-round picks to Baltimore. The trade-up price was real: Baltimore used those picks to draft Sergio Kindle, Ed Dickson, and Dennis Pitta — a haul that included two long-term contributors. Tebow became a cultural phenomenon and delivered an unforgettable playoff run, but the cost in draft capital for a non-traditional quarterback proved steep.