I really hope you can dig on this one, since I don't have the time or resources or skill to figure it out. Very interesting...
I know enough to be able to spot the issues and make some predictions based on common law, but actually coming up with a more definitive answer would require research into Massachusetts case and statutory law that would take too much work, and also a copy of his contract, which I don't have.
That being said, I think it would be very unlikely that the erasure of the conviction would require those payments, because that would be penalizing employers by requiring them to pay for someone who performed no work. And while that wouldn't apply to a guaranteed bonus or something, that's such a unique situation that I don't think Mass. law would address it. So, any Mass. law that addresses the civil implications of the vacating of his conviction likely won't help him.
In other words, I think the only effect of his death is in terms of criminality, or if there was some outside contract/right that expressly required a conviction to be waived. And NFL contracts generally don't have that. After all, teams have fired guys and refused to pay on a contract based on videos/reported conduct, before any conviction at all.
As far as his heirs, pensions are generally protected from creditors (including lawsuits). But other assets, including wage compensation, are not. That's a pretty general rule.
So the bottom line is I don't
think his family will get anything extra from the Pats because of this, but I couldn't be sure unless I could read the actual contract, see if there was any post-termination grievance or resolution, and look at Mass. law.
And I ain't doing all that.....