NFL-National Football League roundup

May 30 (The Sports Xchange) - Quarterback Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, who will have the appeal of his four-game suspension heard on June 23, continues to avoid reporters in the aftermath of Deflategate. Brady did not break his silence after Friday morning's organized team activity and at night when he appeared at Harvard Stadium to quarterback for both teams in the Best Buddies Football Challenge, a charity that helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. At Friday's OTA, Brady split the practice reps with backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Brady jogged off the field when the two-hour practice ended, declining all requests to speak to the media. Patriots coach Bill Belichick, dealing with the media for the first time this offseason, averted questions about Deflategate and even the Super Bowl. "That was a long time ago," Belichick said Friday of the Super Bowl. "We're on to next year." At the charity touch football game Friday night, Brady was relaxed and smiling, but unlike past occasions he declined to speak to the media. --- Defensive end Michael Bennett of the Seattle Seahawks has been absent from organized team activities this week and the Seattle Times reported it is because he wants a new contract. Bennett, in the second year of a four-year, $28.5 million deal, wants a contract that will pay him what the top seven players at his position earn. Bennett, who recorded 38 tackles and seven sacks in 16 games last season, is 14th in salary among defensive ends in a 4-3 defense. --- The New York Jets have reworked the contract of veteran wide receiver Brandon Marshall, acquired in a trade with the Chicago Bears this offseason. According to ESPN.com, the maximum value of Marshall's amended contract is $26 million over the next three seasons, up from $24.3 million, including an additional $1.3 million in guarantees. Marshall, 31, caught 61 passes for 721 yards in 13 games last season, his lowest production since his rookie season in 2006. --- The Atlanta Falcons signed free agent offensive guard Chris Chester. According to ESPN.com, the deal is for one year and $2.8 million. The 32-year-old Chester, 32, released by the Washington Redskins on Wednesday, will be reunited with Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, who coached him while in Washington. --- Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still, who two months ago said his daughter's Stage 4 pediatric cancer was in remission, reached out in social media to announce 5-year-old Leah has "hit a pretty serious complication" in her fight. Leah was diagnosed with neuroblastoma cancer last June. "I need some prayers sent up for Leah tonight! We hit a pretty serious complication from the stem cell transplant called VOD," Still wrote on his Instagram account. "They caught it early so hopefully it gives the doctors a better chance of stopping it from getting aggressive." --- Former NFL wide receiver Plaxico Burress reportedly has avoided going to prison for failing to pay state income taxes. Burress was indicted last month by New Jersey prosecutors on one count of issuing a bad check or electronic funds transfer and one count of willful failure to pay state income tax in the amount of $47,903. Both are third-degree charges that carry a maximum penalty of five years in state prison and a $15,000 fine. Burress struck a deal that includes no jail time and an agreement to pay off the debt, according to TMZ. (Editing by Larry Fine) ))