Are Mark Sanchez’s Jets Days Numbered?

New York Jets quarterback Mark Sánchez prepares to pass against the New England Patriots during the second half of an NFL divisional football playoff game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 16, 2011. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson) (AP2011)

Well, it was going to happen, then not going to happen… then it happened.

Tim Tebow is now a New York Jet after John Elway’s signing of Peyton Manning made the quarterback expendable.

The New York Jets made the longshot deal late Wednesday night and now the only thing to do is wonder how Tebow fits in the Jets' scheme and if Mark Sanchez is happy about it.

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Weeks removed from a contract extension and payoff that was supposed to let Sanchez know the team believes in him, the Jets get someone who won’t personally try to undermine Sanchez, but whose fan base and potential could ignite a fickle New York crowd to turn on their starter any time they have a bad outing.

Jet legend Joe Namath is right in that Tebow could ignite a controversy in the Big Apple and lead to more harm than good.

Will Tebow ignite a fire under Sanchez to finally break out as one of the league’s elite, or will the competition alienate him?

I, for one, have always thought Sanchez was babied a little too much by head coach Rex Ryan and staff, but the Tebow move just doesn’t make sense.

Jets Give Sanchez Extension

The Jets just signed Drew Stanton as a backup. They have a second year backup from last year with Greg McElroy. He may be in the dog house because he let the outside world know what it was like in the locker room, but both men do one thing that Tebow can’t do… not outshine Sanchez.

Even if he is brought over just to run offensive coordinator Tony Sparano’s wildcat plays, he could ignite movement.

What should Sanchez do?

If I were Mark Sanchez I would start thinking about my future somewhere else. Maybe a change of scenery might be helpful.

All I know is in this city the first time he has a bad game, or even a bad series, those Tebow chants are going to start reverberating through out the stadium.

When he gets benched for Tebow he’s going to have to realize his time in New York will be over.

Follow Victor Garcia on twitter @MrVicGarcia