As we continue to milk today’s StarCaps ruling for as many story ideas as possible, here’s an angle that could affect the new NFL champions.
With Vikings defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams still subject to a possible four-game suspension if Judge Gary Larson decides in March that the NFL doesn’t combine with the Vikings to employ the players, two current Saints players are facing the implementation of their own four-game suspensions, too.
Last year, the league received clearance to suspend defensive ends Charles Grant and Will Smith. The NFL ultimately decided not to go forward with the suspensions, given that such an outcome would suggest that the rules were being applied differently to different teams.
So if/when the Vikings players are suspended, the Saints players likely will be suspended as well.
Of course, it likely will affect the Saints only as to Smith, if as expected Grant is released in the offseason. The four-game suspension would then apply to him in his next NFL home. (Running back Deuce McAllister would face the suspension as well, if he should unretire.)
There’s another guy who still could be affected the StarCaps situation -- Lions defensive tackle Grady Jackson. His four-game suspension had not been made official when the Vikings and Saints players challenged the penalties in court and obtained a temporary ban on the imposition of the sanction.