Pro Football

Attorneys for Philadelphia Eagle tight end Keith Jackson and three other NFL holdouts asked a federal judge in Minneapolis to declare them free agents.

U.S. District Judge David Doty’s decision on the request could be the first practical impact of last month’s ruling in an antitrust lawsuit against the league. A federal jury threw out Plan B, the limited free-agency system that allowed teams to protect their top 37 players each year.

In a post-trial hearing, attorneys for the players asked Doty for a temporary order forcing the NFL to let the players become free agents. Attorney Richard Berthelsen said the jury’s ruling means the teams shouldn’t be allowed to keep the players against their will.

The four players seeking free agency, who were protected by their teams under Plan B, weren’t under contract to their teams when a jury found Plan B illegal. They are Jackson, running back D.J. Dozier of the Detroit Lions, wide receiver Webster Slaughter of the Cleveland Browns and defensive end Garin Veris of the New England Patriots.