Aug 18, 2015 5 min read

Tom Brady wasn’t on the practice field with the New England Patriots Tuesday, a day before the court hearing for the NFL and the players’ union.

Both sides are due in federal court for the hearing Wednesday in New York with Judge Richard M. Berman over the quarterback’s four-game suspension by the NFL.

Berman has been trying to move the sides toward a settlement of the dispute over deflated footballs. If there is no settlement, Berman will decide whether Brady’s suspension remains in place at the start of the season.

Brady participated fully in practice on Monday. Second-year quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and recently signed veteran backup Ryan Lindley handled the snaps Tuesday.

“Brady is a key part of this team, a leader,” said Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler. “There’s nothing like having Brady out there. But if he’s there or not, we’re still going to work hard either way.”

Lindley was signed Aug. 10 after the team released veteran Matt Flynn.

“He comes to work,” Lindley said of Brady. “I think the biggest thing, though, that has impressed me is his leadership. I think you see it out here on the practice field, and obviously it transfers onto the game field on Sundays.”

Butler took advantage of the no-Brady day, nearly picking off a pass during 11-on-11 walk-through drills.

“I was going to catch it,” he said, “but then again I said, ‘Ah, it’s walk-through,’ and I moved my hands. I had to let those guys get their reps – offense, defense, wide receiver, quarterback – get their communication in.”

Butler said his near-interception drew an on-field comment from coach Bill Belichick.

“He just told me we needed that in a big-time situation,” said Butler, who knows all about that after his clinching interception in the Super Bowl.

Missouri approves tax credits for stadium: A Missouri board approved $15 million in tax credits Tuesday for a new riverfront football stadium in downtown St. Louis, the first piece of an effort by state leaders aimed at either preventing the Rams from moving west or luring another team to the city in its place.

Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon and the Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority want to build a new stadium along the Mississippi River to counter the Rams’ possible relocation to Los Angeles. Owner Stan Kroenke has proposed building a $1.8 billion stadium there on the site of Hollywood Park, the old horse racing track.

The Missouri Development Finance Board approved the $15 million plan despite opposition from Republican Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, a board member who is running for governor. The sports authority plans to request another $17.5 million in tax credits next year and the year after, for a total of $50 million. That’s only a small chunk of funding needed for the project, which is estimated to cost $998 million.

A plan presented to the board on Tuesday outlines another $250 million from an NFL team owner, $200 million from the NFL’s G4 loan program and $160 million from the sale of seat licenses. The state would need to issue $135 million in bonds under that plan, along with $66 million in bonds from St. Louis and a total of $187 million in tax credits and other state and local incentives.

The $15 million in tax credits approved Tuesday only will be provided if the sports authority can come up with at least $30 million in contributions. The tax credits also depend on the NFL committing to financially contribute.

Johnson has to earn playing time: Chris Johnson came to the Arizona Cardinals with no assurances about what role he will play, and he says he’s fine with that.

Johnson, speaking to reporters on Tuesday before his first practice with his new team, said he’s just glad to be back playing in the NFL.

Johnson rushed for 663 yards with the New York Jets last season after topping 1,000 in his first six NFL seasons, all with the Tennessee Titans.

Johnson has recovered from a gunshot wound to the shoulder. He was injured in March when someone opened fire on a van in which he was riding in Orlando, Florida. The driver of the van was killed and another passenger injured.

The three-time Pro Bowl player signed a one-year contract with the Cardinals on Monday.

Seahawks release Army veteran: The Seattle Seahawks released long snapper and U.S. Army veteran Nate Boyer.

Boyer was signed by Seattle as an undrafted free agent in May. He played five snaps against the Broncos Friday night.

He was competing with incumbent Clint Gresham for the starting long snapper job. He was a long shot to make Seattle’s roster as Gresham signed a new three-year contract with the team this offseason.

Boyer did tours in Afghanistan and Iraq and was a member of the Green Berets.

Boyer walked on to the football program at Texas and eventually won the starting job. He was the long snapper for the Longhorns his final three seasons.

Patriots acquire tight end: The San Francisco 49ers traded tight end Asante Cleveland to the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots for offensive lineman Jordan Devey Tuesday, a person with direct knowledge of the move said.

The trade still needed to be finalized through the NFL and the players were expected to take physicals once they made their cross-country flights to their new teams, which could complete the deal as soon as today.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because it hadn’t been formalized.

San Francisco had an excess of tight ends, led by veteran Vernon Davis. The 23-year-old Cleveland, an undrafted free agent out of Miami last year, spent most of 2014 on the Niners’ practice squad before being promoted to the active roster Nov. 27.