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Carolina Panthers: Steve Beuerlein, who holds every passing record in franchise history, retired Wednesday as a Panther.

Beuerlein spent his last three seasons in Denver, but the Broncos released him in May to give him time to decide if he wanted to play an 18th season in the league.

When the 39-year-old decided he would retire, he called Carolina, where he spent his best seasons as a pro. Beuerlein was with the Panthers from 1996 to 2000, and went to the Pro Bowl in 1999 after passing for 4,436 yards and 36 touchdowns.

"This in my mind was the way it was meant to be," he said. "I couldn't think of a better way to bring this 17-year run to an end. My heart has always been here with this organization and when I sat back and decided I wanted to step down, there was no doubt I wanted to do it as a Carolina Panther."

Beuerlein was extremely popular in Carolina, taking over as the starting quarterback the fifth game of the 1998 season when Kerry Collins quit the team. He then started 44 consecutive games, setting Carolina records with 12,690 yards passing and 86 touchdowns.

He was released before the 2001 season by George Seifert, who wanted to give Jeff Lewis and Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke a chance.

Beuerlein began his playing career with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1987 and also played for Dallas, Arizona, Jacksonville and Denver. He finished his career with 24,046 yards passing and 147 touchdown passes.

Top pick unlikely to report: Training camp is just days away and the Panthers still don't have first-round pick Chris Gamble, the 28th overall selection, under contract.

The Panthers have been negotiating with Carl Poston, the cornerback's agent, but general manager Marty Hurney did not indicate Wednesday that a deal was close.

"With most of these deals it often comes right down to the wire," Hurney said.

Players report to training camp in Spartanburg, S.C., on Friday, and the first practice is scheduled for Saturday morning. Gamble would not be considered a holdout unless he misses the first practice.

Denver Broncos: First-round pick D.J. Williams signed with Denver, but the team still is trying to finalize a deal with second-rounder Tatum Bell.

Williams, the 17th overall pick out of Miami, was not at the first practice of training camp Wednesday because he had to fly in from Florida. The linebacker signed the six-year deal in the morning and practiced with the team in the afternoon.

Williams is expected to compete for a starting spot after Ian Gold signed with Tampa Bay and John Mobley was released because of a neck injury.

Bell, a running back from Oklahoma State was still working out a deal with Denver's front office and didn't practice in the morning.

The Broncos have signed most of their 10 draft picks, including receivers Darius Watts and Triandos Luke; cornerbacks Jeremy LeSueur and Jeff Shoate; center Josh Sewell; quarterbacks Matt Mauck and Bradlee Van Pelt; and running back Brandon Miree.

Chicago Bears: First-round pick Tommie Harris and third-round pick Bernard Berrian, Chicago's two remaining unsigned rookies, agreed to terms with the team.

Harris, who won the Lombardi Trophy at Oklahoma last year as the nation's top interior lineman, agreed to a five-year deal. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

The 6-3, 300-pound defensive tackle was expected at the Bears' training camp in Bourbonnais on Thursday. Harris was a first-team All-American as a sophomore and junior, logging nine sacks and 33 tackles in those two seasons. He left college early to enter the NFL draft.

Berrian, a wide receiver from Fresno State, agreed to a four-year deal. The two-time All-American holds the school record at Fresno State with 5,828 career all-purpose yards.

Cincinnati Bengals: Just two days after being released by the Dallas Cowboys, four-year veteran tight end James Whalen agreed to join the Bengals on a one-year deal. The former Kentucky standout will officially sign the contract, which is believed to be worth $535,000, on Thursday.

Whalen, 26, was an undrafted free agent with the Cowboys in 1999 and, despite having excellent hands and upfield speed, could not stay healthy long enough to become a real contributor in Dallas. In four seasons, he appeared in just 26 games, and had 17catches for 152 yards and no touchdowns. Given his potential as a receiver, though, the Bengals feel he is worth a look in camp.

A suspect blocker, Whalen will compete with Cincinnati holdovers Reggie Kelly, Tony Stewart and Matt Schobel for playing time.

The Bengals also signed fifth-round draft choice Maurice Mann to a three-year contract. Terms weren't disclosed.

Mann, a wide receiver, had 53 catches for 827 yards in two years at Nevada.
--ESPN.com senior writer Len Pasquarelli

Arizona Cardinals: Quarterback John Navarre, the team's seventh-round selection (202nd overall), signed with the team. Terms were not disclosed.

Last year, the 6-6, 250 pounder was a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award as the first player in Michigan history to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season, completing 270 of 456 passes (59.2 percent) for 3,331 yards and 24 touchdowns. Navarre threw at least one touchdown pass in all 13 games and posted over 200 passing yards in a school record 10 of the 13 contests.

Navarre becomes the third member of Arizona's 2004 draft class to sign a contract. The team previously signed Ohio State center Alex Stepanovich (fourth round, 100th overall) and Oklahoma State defensive end Antonio Smith (fifth round, 135th overall).

Tennessee Titans: The Titans agreed to terms with safety Scott McGarrahan and defensive tackle Randy Starks, the team's third-round draft pick.

The Titans picked up McGarrahan just days before the 2003 season opener, and he wound up playing in every game. He had 27 tackles, one sack and two passes defended. He also led the team with 24 special team tackles.

A sixth-round pick by Green Bay in 1998, McGarrahan spent three seasons with the Packers and two with Miami. He has played in 90 career games with 54 tackles, 2½ sacks and 80 special team tackles.

Starks was taken 71st overall. The 6-foot-3, 307-pounder started 29 of his 38 games in three seasons at Maryland. He had 201 tackles, 17½ sacks and 34 tackles for loss.

The Titans now have agreed to terms with seven of their 13 draft picks with the first practice of training camp on Saturday.

Tennessee also waived undrafted rookie guard Chris Frank to keep its roster at the league-mandated minimum counting its NFL Europe exemptions.

New York Giants: The Giants picked up defensive tackle Willie Blade on waivers and signed free agent defensive end Radell Lockhart.

To make room for them, they waived tight end Darnell Dinkins and offensive lineman Mathias Nkwenti.

Blade was waived by the Dallas Cowboys earlier this week. He started 14 of 15 games last season, finishing with 11 tackles and one sack.

Lockhart spent last season on the Giants' practice squad. He was originally signed as a free agent in 2001 with Jacksonville, then coached by Tom Coughlin, the current Giants' coach.

Dinkins played nine games in the last two seasons with the Giants. He missed most of the 2002 season with a broken foot. He had two receptions for 16 yards last season and eight special teams tackles.

Nkwenti was signed by the Giants on June 23. He spent the previous three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, appearing in two games, one each in 2001 and 2003.

Houston Texans: The Texans signed cornerback Vontez Duff and safety Glenn Earl, ensuring their entire nine-member draft class will be on the field when training camp begins Saturday.

Duff and Earl made up half of Notre Dame's defensive backfield last year. Duff was selected in the sixth round while Earl, who suffered a season-ending knee injury, was taken in the fourth.

Both will compete for backup roles, and Duff also will vie for a job as a return man.

The Texans have gone into their first three training camps without a holdout.

New England Patriots: The Patriots signed offensive lineman James "Big Cat" Williams.

The 36-year-old played 12 years for the Chicago Bears before he was released after the 2002 season. He did not play last year.

The 332-pound right tackle started 134 consecutive games and made the 2001 Pro Bowl. He has nine career blocked kicks.

Cleveland Browns: Kellen Winslow Jr.'s agent spent four hours meeting with the Cleveland Browns, who still hope to have their top draft pick signed before training camp opens.

Kevin Poston, the tight end's representative, visited with Browns president John Collins at the team's headquarters, a possible sign the sides want a deal finalized by Friday when the club holds its first full-squad workout.

Coach Butch Davis reported progress in the talks, but he isn't counting on having Winslow, the No. 6 overall pick from Miami, in for the start of camp.

"It's a process," Davis said. "As much as everybody would like it to be a snap, quick, immediate thing, it's a process with all 32 teams in this league.

"Groundwork has to be laid and that has been happening. Other guys in the league and other first-rounders are beginning to sign. These things help move the negotiations."

Green Bay Packers: Former Packers tight end Mark Chmura has re-entered public life as a co-host on a pro football radio show.

Chmura was acquitted three years ago on charges of sexual assault in a case that involved his former baby sitter and a party with teenagers at a neighbor's home.

Chmura will make his debut Aug. 29 on WAUK-AM on "The Football Show."

"I'm a different person today," Chmura said. "I think if you stay close to God and follow what you are supposed to be as a Christian, you'll be fine. That's what I live my life by now.

He has been working as a legal assistant to his defense attorney, Gerald Boyle, and started a business with former Milwaukee Brewers general manager Sal Bando and one of Bando's sons.

Chmura said Packers fans have treated him well since the trial.

"I mean, the people here have been so kind to me," Chmura said. "I let them down. I flat out admit it. For that I apologize."

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.