Carolina Panthers: Three-year veteran linebacker Lester Towns, who started for the Panthers his first two seasons in the league but was limited by injuries in 2002, has agreed to a one-year contract with the team, ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reports.

Towns, 25, will sign a contract that includes a $605,000 base salary. That is essentially the restricted free agent qualifying offer the Panthers made to Towns in February, so that the team could retain a right of first refusal if he signed an offer sheet with another club. It is believed the deal will include a modest offseason workout bonus.

Agent Cameron Foster said the contract will be signed "imminently," possibly as early as Tuesday afternoon. Towns is one of the few remaining unsigned restricted free agents in the league.

A former University of Washington standout, Towns was a seventh-round choice in the 2000 draft. He started 29 games combined in 2000-2001, and posted 207 tackles in those two seasons. Towns appeared in just eight games in 2002, however, in part because of injuries, and he had just three tackles.

Denver Broncos: The Broncos have signed two free agents and added another player from the leagues' waiver wire, ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reports.

Offensive tackle Trohn Carswell, 22, recently released by the Carolina Panthers, was added via the waiver wire. The former Rutgers standout, who played in 23 games in two seasons after transferring from Butte Junior College, was signed by the Panthers earlier this year as an undrafted free agent, then waived on June 11.

Signed as free agents were cornerback Jermaine Chatman and offensive tackle Freddie Moore, both of whom played in the NFL Europe League this spring. Moore started for the Berlin Thunder and the former Cincinnati Bengals free agent possesses prototype size and good strength. Chatman played for the Scottish Claymores and, in addition to cornerback duties, also has some return skills.

Miami Dolphins: Continuing to fine-tune the roster before the opening of training camp, the Dolphins have signed free agent defensive tackle Damonte McKenzie, who played this spring with the Amsterdam Admirals of the NFL Europe League, ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reports.

McKenzie, 27, signed a two-year contract, believed for the minimum base salaries. The Dolphins will be the fourth NFL team with which he has been in camp.

He began his career with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent in 2000, then also was with the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. The former Clemson standout has yet to play in an NFL regular-season contest. In addition to Amsterdam, he played in NFLE in the spring of 2002, with the Rhein Fire.

New York Giants: Strong safety Charles Drake, the highest of the Giants' three choices in the seventh round of the 2003 draft, has signed a three-year contract with the club, ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reports.

The former University of Michigan star, the 240th prospect selected overall, received a deal worth $940,500. The contract includes a $30,500 signing bonus and the standard rookie minimum base salaries of $225,000 (2003), $305,000 (2004) and $380,000 (2005). He becomes the fifth of New York's 11 draft picks to come to contract terms.

Drake, 21, began his career with the Wolverines as a tailback before moving to safety as a sophomore. He appeared in 47 games and started 25 of them, registering 174 tackles, six sacks, one interception and nine passes defensed.

Two more apply for supplemental draft
Two more college players, wide receiver Brad Pyatt of Northern Colorado and Alabama State defensive end Earl Cochran, have applied to the NFL for the special supplemental draft, ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reports.

They join Georgia Tech tailback Tony Hollings, who was declared academically ineligible for the 2003 season earlier this spring and whose application for the draft was first reported by ESPN.com last week, in the lottery.

The supplemental draft, typically comprised of players who have lost eligibility or left school for special reasons, is scheduled for July 10. Thursday is the deadline by which players must petition for entry into the supplemental draft.

Pyatt, who played two seasons at Kentucky before transferring, had 23 catches for 401 yards and four touchdowns last season. Cochran posted 62 tackles, including 17½ for losses, with 9½ sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 2002.