Seven games into the season, Tim Tebow’s role with the Jets seems to be just as much a question mark as it was during training camp.  After wide promises about how the team planned to use their new backup far and wide – even in a week when the Jets were tapped at the running back spot, they didn’t use Tebow anywhere near as much as expected.

Brian Costello writes for the Post that the Jets seem to be stringing the public along in their use of their football player that they traded for back in the spring.

Instead of trading Tebow, the Jets need to play Tebow.

Too often No. 15 has been a spectator during the first seven games. The dynamic multi-purpose weapon coach Rex Ryan and general manager Mike Tannenbaum promised after the trade was made has been a dud.

Every week, we keep waiting for that “a-ha” moment when you say, “That’s why they got him.” We’re still waiting.

This is not a criticism of Tebow. He has not been given a chance. Outside of special teams coach Mike Westhoff, no one seems to have a plan for Tebow. By keeping him on the sideline, the Jets have just fueled the belief that the trade for Tebow was a publicity stunt orchestrated by owner Woody Johnson.

Each week, we hear the same tired story played out (right here on this blog by yours truly) and Costello’s fatigue on the matter is perfectly poignant.  The idea of maybe THIS WEEK is the week is the week where Tebow’s impact in this offense as a Wildcateer is felt far and wide, but never comes to fruition.

Costello writes that he’s still waiting, but at this point I’m not waiting anymore.  While I don’t think that Tebow has what it takes to be the full-time quarterback for this team, but I do think that he has what it takes to be the Wildcat component that they want him to be, but which they seem unwilling to commit.

Part of that is giving the ball to him 5-10 times, but also undoing his handcuffs and giving him the option to throw the ball a couple of times a game to give defenses pause when he lines up behind center – a concept that would make him a better runners and the safeties wouldn’t squeeze down on him as much.

The Jets are unwilling to do this at this point in the season, I’m not going to expect that it’s ever going to happen.  If it does, hey it will be a nice surprise and a smart use of their resources, but there’s been no indication that they are going to use him in that way.  If he’s just here to be a punt protector and a specter to keep Sanchez motivated, then it seems like a wasted trade to me.