FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — It was March, and the Jets had just pulled off a trade. Despite the presence of Mark Sanchez — once nicknamed “The Sanchise” — the Jets had brought in the most talked about, most followed, most controversial quarterback in the league in Tim Tebow.

Tebow would be the backup, the Jets insisted, and he has been. But it also indicated that the Jets weren’t as settled with their No. 1 quarterback as Sanchez would have preferred, and was especially curious in light of a three-year, $40.5 million contract extension Sanchez had just received.