A grievance against the Patriots, fought for Todd Sauerbrun by the NFL Players Association, was heard in Boston on Tuesday by a special master. A decision is expected within a week. The meeting lasted about an hour. Sauerbrun was not present. Last week, NFLPA general counsel Richard Berthelsen said he was confident Sauerbrun would win the appeal. The grievance is about whether the Patriots had rights of first refusal to Sauerbrun, who had signed with them in December.