Bailey Says Tebow Will Need To Stay In Pocket More

Champ Bailey is a 13 year veteran, so there’s no guy that knows about the physicality of the NFL better than the Pro Bowl cornerback.

Bailey didn’t miss a game until his 7th year in the league. In the following seven years, he missed 13 games. That’s nothing by league standards, particularly for a cornerback who is in on nearly every play.

That’s why what Bailey said about Tim Tebow on Jim Rome is Burning needs to resonate. Bailey was asked if Tebow will ever be a QB that stays in the pocket and reads defenses.

“I think at some point he’ll have to be if he wants to play a long time,” Bailey said. “That’s one area he’s going to have to improve to be elite in this league. But the things he does running the ball — he can make some throws, it’s just being comfortable doing it. He’s got to get better at it, and when he does, the sky’s the limit for him.”

Perhaps Bailey’s words ‘he’ll have to be if he wants to play a long time’ will hit closer to home since Tebow tore cartilage on his first rib, bruised his lung, and had fluid buildup in his chest thanks to a hard shot given by the New England Patriots. He played through it, but it’s those kind of shots that will shorten the NFL life of any player.

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