Football

The Rams decided Tuesday night not to match San Francisco’s four-year contract offer to safety Marquez Pope. Steve Ortmayer, Ram vice president of football operations, said the team will receive a second-round pick in this month’s draft from the 49ers.

Defensive end Keith McCants has signed a one-year contract with the Rams. McCants, 6 feet 3, 265 pounds from Alabama, is a five-year veteran who played for the Houston Oilers and Arizona Cardinals last season.

The International Management Group, which represents Joe Montana, confirmed that the Kansas City quarterback will retire next week in San Francisco in a farewell luncheon to be attended by former teammates and executives of the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs.

Cris Carter, who set an NFL record with 122 catches last season, has agreed with Minnesota on a contract extension worth $11.5 million through 1998, the richest Viking contract ever.

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, but he was deemed expendable when the Bills signed former Green Bay Packer Bryce Paup last month.

Linebacker Andre Collins, Washington’s leading tackler in the 1994 season, was released. The Redskins have signed former Buffalo and UCLA linebacker Marvcus Patton and former Dallas Cowboy Matt Vanderbeek during the off-season.