Jets tender Santonio Holmes, Antonio Cromartie

The New York Jets are doing what they can to keep their most important free agent pieces in play.

On Tuesday, Gang Green put first and third round tenders on receiver Santonio Holmes and corner back Antonio Cromartie, so that if another team wants to swoop in and sign either player, it would have to give up a first and third round pick to the Jets before signing that player, which almost guarantees, under the old CBA, that Holmes and Cromartie will stay at least one year with the Jets.

It is kind of like a franchise tag, but, if the new CBA disallows the practice of franchise tags and tenders, then the Jets could be in danger of losing both players. It's a dangerous game of cat and mouse in a blind hallway, but it's the best the Jets can do until a new CBA is worked out.

If the league goes into lockout this week then no free agency can occur. Franchise tags are the best a team can do at this point.

The Jets also put a high second round tender on Brad Smith. The valuable special teams ace who has the ability to go the distance at a moments notice, is very important to the Jets future. A second round pick might be too much for another team to give up, so perhaps the Jets will keep Smith.

For some reason, the Jets also tendered Kellen Clemens (3rd round) and Nick Folk (6th round), which makes absolutely no sense since Clemens has been a bust as a quarterback, and Folk is the worst kicker in the NFL.