Continuing their seemingly relentless pursuit of quality free agents at modest prices, the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots dipped into the market again on Wednesday night, with ESPN.com learning the team has reached agreements with two more unrestricted free-agent veterans.

The latest acquisitions are defensive tackle Steve Martin and linebacker Ryan Phillips.

Martin and Phillips become the fourth and fifth free agents added to the defense since the start of the signing period, and give the Patriots three new players in two days. The Patriots on Tuesday night agreed to terms with cornerback Tom Knight, a former first-round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals, and earlier signed end Rick Lyle and safety Chris Hayes.

Martin, 27, will sign a one-year contract. Financial details were not yet available, but the deal for the six-year veteran is for more than the minimum salary and is believed to be worth between $1 million and $1.2 million.

This will mark Martin’s fourth different team in four seasons and fifth overall, but he is coming off an excellent year with the New York Jets in 2001, one in which he registered a career-best 40 tackles. He also added 2½ sacks while appearing in 16 games.

The former University of Missouri standout, who began his career with the Indianapolis Colts as a fifth-round choice in the 1996 draft, clearly bolsters the interior of the New England line. He could vie for a starting spot next to second-year veteran Richard Seymour and, at worst, provides the defending champions another proven veteran for the tackle rotation.

Coach Bill Belichick likes to play a lot of defensive linemen and Martin is his kind of veteran, a solid tackle with good awareness, one who plays the run well and gets some penetration.

Martin has played in 100 games with the Colts (1996-98), Philadelphia (1998-99), Kansas City (2000) and the Jets (2001). He has 154 tackles and 7½ sacks.

Phillips is a five-year veteran who started for the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV. He was drafted by the Giants in the third round in 1997 and played his first four seasons in New York before signing with Oakland as a free agent last spring.

Released by the Raiders, he signed on with the Colts, appearing in 13 games and starting six. For his career, the former Idaho star has 186 tackles, 3½ sacks and four interceptions.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.