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National Football League roundup

[June 10, 2016] June 9 (The Sports Xchange) - No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff signed a four-year contract with the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, the team announced on its Twitter account.

The quarterback's deal is worth $27.9 million, including an $18.6 million signing bonus, according to the NFL Network. The contract includes a fifth-year option.

Goff was selected by the Rams with anticipation that he will earn the starting quarterback job and become the face of the franchise in its new location. He played collegiately at Cal.

The Rams also announced the signing of the following draft choices: receivers Pharoh Cooper (fourth round) and Mike Thomas (sixth); tight ends Tyler Higbee (fourth) and Temarrick Hemingway (sixth); and linebacker Josh Forrest (sixth).

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Vonnie B'Vsean Miller is not putting his signature on the dotted line with the Denver Broncos, and the two sides are nowhere near a contract agreement six weeks before the start of training camp.

The Broncos did get a deal done with first-round pick Paxton Lynch, who has attended workouts and is slotted as the No. 3 quarterback on the roster in minicamp.

The Super Bowl MVP outside linebacker better known as Von Miller would be left to play the 2016 season under a $14.129 million franchise tag if a deal is not reached by July 15.

As an exclusive rights free agent, he is not eligible to receive offers or negotiate with other teams.

Miller and the Broncos agreed on years and total value of a new contract -- six years for more than $114 million with $39.8 million guaranteed the first two years -- but not on how the money is paid out, according to multiple reports.

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Johnny Manziel is not done playing football. His attorney, Jim Darnell, said Manziel is focusing on working out to be ready for the 2016 season in the event the free agent gets interest from a team this summer.

"His immediate plans are to start getting ready for football," Darnell told ESPN. "We're working on it."

Manziel's offseason exploits have been the focus of his career since winning the Heisman Trophy at Texas A&M after his redshirt freshman season. A first-round pick in 2014, Manziel was released by the Cleveland Browns in March.

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Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez hired a high-profile defense attorney for his upcoming murder trial.

Hernandez assembled a new legal team after being convicted of killing Odin Lloyd in 2013 and is awaiting trial for a double homicide.

Among the new legal representatives for Hernandez is Jose Baez, who represented Casey Anthony in the much-publicized murder trial in which Anthony was acquitted on charges of murdering her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee.

The group will also include Alex Spiro, who represented NBA player Thabo Sefolosha in his legal battle with New York police.

After his initial appeal was denied, Hernandez recently filed a new appeal of his life sentence for Lloyd's murder. Defense attorney James Sultan filed the second appeal.

Hernandez faces the more recent murder charges in Boston, accused of gunning down two men outside a nightclub in 2012. He has pleaded not guilty in that case.

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Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Cody Kessler has signed a four-year contract, the club announced.

Kessler, a third-round pick, reportedly received a $3.4 million deal with $1.1 million guaranteed.

Kessler played at USC and finished his college career ranked third in school history in touchdown passes (88) and fourth in passing yardage (10,339).

- - - (Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)

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