Tim Tebow guaranteed a roster spot?

Tim Tebow has been the subject of much debate nearly his entire playing career. Can he throw? Can he play quarterback? Is he annoying?

Since he's taken up residence with the New England Patriots, he's been the center of another debate: will he make the roster?

According to the Boston Globe's Ben Volin, that's a near certainty:

But here’s a news flash for anyone who thinks Tim Tebow is battling for a roster spot with the Patriots and may not make the team come September:

Tebow isn’t going anywhere.

The Patriots would never say it, of course, but when they signed him in June he all but had a roster spot locked up barring some sort of catastrophe (of course, given the events of this summer, you can’t rule out anything with the Patriots).

Keeping three quarterbacks used to be the norm until 2009, when Bill Belichick started going with just one backup for Tom Brady (although they kept three as recently as 2011).

The Patriots can cut Tebow before the regular season with no penalty, of course — his two-year, minimum salary deal doesn’t have any guaranteed money — and he might end up being inactive most weeks, perhaps all 16 games.

But all logic points to Tebow staying a Patriot for at least 2013 season.

Volin has some sound points.

1. Tebow is a terrible quarterback,
He's not exactly in camp as another body to save Brady's arm so that they can judge the receivers.

2. He does some other stuff
Tebow is a terrible quarterback, but a very good runner. So, he can do that (fake punt!). He'll also help the team prepare for that read-option thing everyone's talking about.

3. Good locker room guy
They just had a player be arrested for first degree murder, so anything's a bonus.

Ultimately, I think Tebow will come under the same rules that any player does on this Patriots system. If you don't produce, you're gone.

Tim Tebow has to prove during training camp and the preseason that he can help this team in some way. Whether that's on special teams, tight end or even running the scout team. Nobody knows exactly how the Patriots are going to use Tim Tebow. If he's on the team in September, it's because Belichick thought he brings something useful to the table. If he doesn't, he'll be gone.

Same as anybody. Same as it always was.