He's baack! Sean Landeta rejoined the Eagles Tuesday, signing a one-year contract with the team. The team subsequently cut ties with punter Mark Mariscal.

The 43-year-old Landeta is in his second stint with Philadelphia and his 21st NFL campaign overall. He will be the team's punter for the remaining two preseason games and -- with Dirk Johnson still rehabbing after sports hernia surgery -- could be the team's punter on opening night at the Georgia Dome against the Falcons.

"In my mind, I feel if I come in here and punt well these next two weeks, maybe I'll have a chance to play here if Dirk's not ready," Landeta said during a press conference Tuesday. "If he's ready, I'm pretty sure they'll go with him because he's their guy.

P Sean Landeta

"Hopefully I can punt well enough so I can get a chance to punt somewhere else. You'd like to be somewhere you can compete to be the guy. This is where I am and I'm happy I'm here."

As for how long Landeta will remain in town, it depends on when Johnson is ready and able to return.

"Dirk has proven himself as our punter here," said special teams coordinator John Harbaugh. "He's done a great job. We're in a situation where we need a guy who can come in and punt well for us right now.

"In this league, the future is now. I don't think you are ever going to know what will happen down the road."

What Landeta provides now is quality insurance for what is a young special teams group.

"He knows so much about the game," said kicker David Akers. "We have a very young team."

Landeta's name was tossed about when it was first announced that Johnson had the surgery. But it wasn't until Landeta received a call from his agent Monday that he knew the Eagles were interested.

Age is nothing but a number to Landeta. He believes he can still play at this level, and many other teams agree. It's just that the Eagles were the only ones who could ignore the age factor.

"Most of the people said the same thing, we feel you can punt well enough to still be in the league," Landeta said. "But they kind of hinted because of my age they may have wanted to see if there was a younger guy they could find who would be there longer."

The thought of retirement never crossed Landeta's mind.

"From the way I practice, I still feel that I can do it," he said. "I wanted to give myself another chance to do that."

Landeta punted 342 times for a 42.7 average during his four seasons in Philadelphia from 1999-2002. He punted in 12 games during the 2002 season before suffering a strained calf muscle on the last punt of a game against the Rams. He was subsequently placed on injured reserve.

In 2003, the team opted not to resign Landeta and instead went with youth in the unproven free agent Johnson. Johnson has played well in his two seasons in Philadelphia; however, he has missed all of the 2005 training camp following sports hernia surgery.

Mariscal, meanwhile, struggled in two preseason games. He averaged 42.1 yards on seven punts but netted only 31.1 yards. He had one of his punts returned for a touchdown. His trials prompted the team to make a move and bring in the veteran.

Nobody has punted longer, or farther, than Landeta in NFL history. He's made it to two Pro Bowls in separate decades, 1986 and 1990, earned two Super Bowl rings with the Giants and two USFL championship rings.

Landeta ranks 1st in NFL history with 1,367 career punts and 20 years of service punting. During those 20 NFL seasons, he has punted for 59,224 yards (an equivalent of 33.7 miles) and a 43.3 average. Landeta led the NFC in punting four times and has a better than 2:1 ratio on punts downed inside-the-20 vs. touchbacks (374-164).

Like fine wine, Landeta has gotten better with age. He's a crafty veteran with a natural swing and good leg strength. He understands what he needs to do and has been very consistent at doing it.

Landeta spent the last two seasons in St. Louis, where he punted 99 times for a 43.0 average. Last season he earned NFC special teams player of the week honors after punting for a 50.2-yard average, including a season-best 63-yarder. He was released after the Rams' loss to Buffalo in Week 11, a scapegoat for St. Louis' porous specialty teams.

The two-time Pro Bowl selection originally joined the NFL as a free agent with the New York Giants in 1985. During his career he has also spent time with the Rams (1993-96, 2003-04), Buccaneers (1997), and Packers (1998).

Landeta, who punted for the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars from 1983-85, and Patriots quarterback Doug Flutie are the only two active players to have seen action in the USFL.