New England Patriots quarterback Tony Eason, whose...

New England Patriots quarterback Tony Eason, whose contract was to expire Monday, has said he would not accept his new role as a backup to Steve Grogan and might possibly sit out the 1988 season.

Patriot Coach Raymond Berry last week named Grogan as the team’s No. 1 quarterback for the upcoming season. The Patriots also reportedly want to cut Eason’s base salary from $875,000 to $550,000, with incentives that could bring it back to about $900,000.