FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Defensive lineman Marcus Stroud, released by the Buffalo Bills last month, will stay in the AFC East.

Stroud signed a two-year deal Tuesday with the New England Patriots, according to ESPN.com.

Stroud, 32, is a former first-round pick out of Georgia by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He will enter his 11th season in the NFL and has been to three Pro Bowls.

Stroud, at 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds, didn’t fit in the with Bills’ long-term plans. He struggled in their switch from a 4-3 scheme to a 3-4 last season. For his career, he has 29.5 sacks and 39 passes defensed.

Though the Patriots have not officially announced the move, Stroud did accept congratulations from former teammates on Twitter.

COWBOYS: Dallas moved to keep starting left tackle Doug Free by offering him the highest contract tender offer, worth about $3.5 million. The offer means that if Free signs an offer sheet with another team, the Cowboys have a chance to match it. If not, the team would owe the Cowboys first- and third-round draft picks.

Defensive ends Stephen Bowen and Jason Hatcher received tenders worth about $1.9 million. Teams would owe the Cowboys a second-round pick if they lure away either player.

SEAHAWKS: Running back Leon Washington agreed to a new four-year contract with Seattle, the team confirmed.

BILLS: Safety George Wilson signed a three-year contract extension, preventing him from becoming a free agent.

Buffalo also signed offensive lineman Mansfield Wrotto to a contract extension and tendered one-year contracts to retain the rights of three potential free agents: safety Donte Whitner, linebacker Paul Posluszny and tight end Scott Chandler.

LABOR DISPUTE: A federal judge backed the players’ union over the league in a dispute over television revenue with implications for the potential lockout.

U.S. District Judge David Doty ruled the league violated its agreement with the union in carving out $4 billion for itself in additional television revenue. The union had argued the league was effectively stockpiling money to prepare for a lockout.

JAGUARS: Safety Donovin Darius signed a one-day contract with Jacksonville so he can retire with his former team.

The 35-year-old Darius played for the Jaguars from 1998 to 2006, then played three games with Miami in 2007. He has been out of the league since.

REDSKINS: Washington released linebacker Andre Carter and guard Derrick Dockery.

JETS: New York placed a first- and third-round tender on cornerback Antonio Cromartie and wide receiver Santonio Holmes, which means another team would have to give up a first- and third-round pick to sign either free agent.

NEGOTIATIONS: The NFL and the players’ union met for the eighth day of mediation as they try to complete a new collective bargaining agreement.

John Mara of the New York Giants became the first owner to participate since a federal mediator began overseeing the talks. Mara, Atlanta Falcons President Rich McKay, chairman of the league’s competition committee, and Washington Redskins General Manager Bruce Allen were among those joining NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell when mediation resumed at 1 p.m.

NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith and his group left shortly before 8 p.m., 52 hours before the current collective bargaining agreement is due to expire.

The CBA runs out at midnight Thursday.