With Tuesday’s preliminary injunction to end the lockout by a federal judge NFL lockout confusion ensued not only with players trying to get into their teams facilities with some being turned away while others were allowed in but more importantly with the fans.  District Judge Susan Nelson who made the ruling has given both the players and owners deadlines of today to reply with their reasons for why the lockout should end and why a stay of the injunction should be put in place.  If the stay is granted the owners win with the lockout on hold pending the NFL’s appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eight Circuit.  If the judge rules with the player the NFL 2011 season could technically begin on Thursday morning of the draft.

In theory with the lockout lifted the 2011 season started yesterday.  Teams could pursue free agents if they wanted but I highly doubt any owners will go rogue and against their fellow owners by signing or trading players.  This is especially the case for 49ers team president Jed York who is the least likely of any of the owners to do this because he is trying to get money in the new CBA that would go towards the NFL stadium fund which would help York in building his new stadium in Santa Clara.

All indications point to the judge ruling with the players as they are the ones being inflicted with the most pain caused by the lockout.  The lifting of the lockout could change the 49ers drafting plans which if they are smart enough general manager Trent Baalke has a contingency plan to deal with the possibility of being able to trade draft picks for players.  Kevin Kolb anyone?