Demps

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As NFL front offices swoop in to eyeball Olympic silver medalist Jeff Demps, the New York Jets are preparing to unleash their secret weapon on the recruiting front.

You guessed it – Tim Tebow.

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Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com reported the Jets are “very interested” in Demps, the free-agent running back who was part of the 400-meter relay team that finished second to Jamaica in London. Seven or eight teams are hovering, and agent Daniel Rose said Demps – hot for a Super Bowl ring – is expected to make a decision by Thursday night.

Tebow played with Demps at the University of Florida in 2008 and 2009. The quarterback was approached by general manager Mike Tannenbaum before a media session Thursday and agreed to reach out to Demps “as a friend” (with an agenda).

“They asked me about him,” Tebow said. “Jeff is a great guy and a great player. He’s someone I was proud to play with in college and he did a great job for us. … Would we love to have him? Absolutely. I’d love to have him as a teammate because I know how hard he works and what he brings to the table.”

The 5-foot-7, 175 pound Demps ran for 2,470 yards and 23 touchdowns in four seasons at Florida. Teams have come calling because of his speed, but one personnel executive isn’t optimistic: “(He’s) a (kick) returner that maybe you can sprinkle in as a role player,” he told the site. “He’s a wrinkle player, but a luxury player on a tight, 53-man roster. I doubt he’d have an inside presence if they used him in the Wildcat.”

The Jets have nothing to lose here. Demps won’t cost much and part of the pleasure is snatching him away from opponents (namely Bill Belichick).

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Olympic silver medalist Jeff Demps is expected to sign a contract Friday afternoon with the New England Patriots, according to multiple sources.

Already featuring a bevy of offensive weapons, the Patriots will be even more dangerous with the addition of Olympic silver medalist Jeff Demps, writes James Walker. Blog

Demps is flying to Orlando, Fla., Friday to meet with his representatives and go over the details of the agreement. He is expected to make an announcement at 5 p.m. ET, but multiple sources say the Patriots are the team he is willing to play for.

His agent, Daniel Rose, wouldn’t not confirm the agreement, only to say Demps should make an announcement later Friday.

Several NFL teams, including the New York Jets, were interested in Demps, who was a running back at Florida. He was undrafted in April while he was preparing for the Olympics. He was part of the 400-meter relay team that finished second.

The 5-foot-7, 191-pound Demps played in 12 games last season at the University of Florida, rushing for 569 yards and six touchdowns.

Once Demps officially arrives in New England, his biggest impact could be on the Patriots’ return game. Demps could provide a spark in that area, where coach Bill Belichick said on Wednesday the team is looking for better production.

“He had a little bit of production,” Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio said. "How that translates over, the schemes are different. Any returner that comes into the NFL, whatever they did in college schematically is probably going to be a lot different than what we’re going to ask him to do.

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Jeff Demps, the former Florida running back who left football to focus on track and field, then signed with the Patriots after last year’s Olympics, is returning to track.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Demps has informed the Patriots that he is choosing to run. But Demps is interested in trying to make it work as a two-sport athlete, so it’s not necessarily a sure thing that he’s finished with the NFL.

The problem from the Patriots’ perspective, however, is that the NFL is simply not a part-time job. It seems unlikely that the Patriots would be on board with Demps skipping organized team activities, minicamps or training camp practices while he pursues his goals in track.

Which means that Demps, who spent the 2012 season on injured reserve, may never play a regular-season game for the Patriots.