Football

Free agent linebacker Darryl Talley agreed to a two-year, $2-million contract with the Atlanta Falcons. A 12-year NFL veteran, Talley led the Buffalo Bills in tackles four of the last five seasons. He had 124 in 1994.

Although he was Buffalo’s all-time leading tackler and held a team record for playing 204 consecutive games, Talley became expendable last month when the Bills signed former Green Bay Packer Bryce Paup to a three-year contract.

Defensive end Keith McCants has signed a one-year contract with the Rams, the club announced. McCants, 6-feet-3, 265 pounds from Alabama, is a five-year veteran who played for the Houston Oilers and Arizona Cardinals last season. He was the fourth player chosen in the 1990 draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Linebacker Andre Collins, the Washington Redskins’ leading tackler in the 1994 season, was released. Collins, Washington’s top pick in 1990 from Penn State, led the team with a career-high 170 tackles and had four interceptions last season, two for touchdowns.

The Redskins signed former Buffalo linebacker Marvcus Patton and former Dallas linebacker Matt Vanderbeek during the off-season.