Rich Cimini thinks Jets fans should root for the injunction the players filed to be successful.
The Washington Post reported Monday that if the injunction is granted -- a hearing is set for April 6 -- the season almost certainly would be played without a salary cap and with the same restrictions on player movement as 2010. In other words, players with expired contracts would need six accrued seasons to be unrestricted free agents. Prior to 2010, it was only four seasons.
Now you know why the Jets, along with the other teams, made tender offers to potential restricted free agents two weeks ago. In fact, the Jets placed the highest tender in terms of compensation (first- and third-round picks) on Holmes and Cromartie, virtually ensuring their return as RFAs.
My first inclination was to think it would be a good thing for one year. Many of those guys would then be free agents after 2011 along with extra guys the team had not signed yet. Looking a little closer, though, Jim Leonhard and Sione Pouha would be the only additional projected starters scheduled to hit free agency, both good players but neither likely to get a huge deal on the open market. For a team in win now mode like the Jets are, being able to lock up as many core guys as they would be able to do in this scenario would be a major benefit.