Post by EagleGene on Aug 23, 2005 16:12:25 GMT -5
Eagles sign Landeta for second stint -- as insurance
August 23, 2005
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The leading punter in NFL history is still looking for a roster spot.
On Tuesday, Sean Landeta signed with the Eagles in case starter Dirk Johnson isn't ready for the regular-season opener.
Johnson has missed training camp following surgery to repair a sports hernia. He said he is very close to being recovered and expects to be ready for the Falcons on Sept. 12.
If Johnson is ready, Landeta's second stint with the Eagles would be short.
``If I come here and punt well these two weeks, maybe I'll have a chance to play here if Dirk is not ready,'' Landeta said. ``If he's ready, I'm pretty sure they'll go with him because he's their guy. Hopefully I can ... get a chance somewhere else.''
Landeta, 43, ranks first in the NFL with 1,367 career punts going into his 21st season. He spent the 1999-2002 seasons with the Eagles, punting 342 times for a 42.7-yard average, and was with the Rams the past two seasons.
Although he was unsigned, Landeta said he tried to stay in shape in the offseason.
``You're not doing it with a team in an organized fashion, but I try to do everything, as much as I could, the same,'' Landeta said. ``I needed to do that to have the best chance at getting signed.''
Until the Eagles called, teams had told Landeta they were looking for younger punters.
Johnson said he looks forward to spending some time with Landeta.
``I can just take that time and learn from him and try to pick up a few things,'' Johnson said. ``He's spent over 20 years in this league, and there's a reason why.''
To make room for Landeta, the Eagles released second-year punter Mark Mariscal, who averaged 42.1 yards on seven punts this preseason, but netted 31.1 yards.
Last year, Landeta averaged 32.5 net yards per punt in 10 games with the Rams, with an average return of 15.5 yards -- worst in the NFL among starters. He was released after the Rams allowed punt returns of 53 yards and 86 yards for a touchdown against the Bills in Week 11.
``Up to that point, our punt team had done very well,'' Landeta said. ``Two weeks earlier, I was leading the NFC in punting, and I thought I was punting well, but they thought that they needed to something to shake things up.''
Updated on Tuesday, Aug 23, 2005 4:54 pm EDT
August 23, 2005
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The leading punter in NFL history is still looking for a roster spot.
On Tuesday, Sean Landeta signed with the Eagles in case starter Dirk Johnson isn't ready for the regular-season opener.
Johnson has missed training camp following surgery to repair a sports hernia. He said he is very close to being recovered and expects to be ready for the Falcons on Sept. 12.
If Johnson is ready, Landeta's second stint with the Eagles would be short.
``If I come here and punt well these two weeks, maybe I'll have a chance to play here if Dirk is not ready,'' Landeta said. ``If he's ready, I'm pretty sure they'll go with him because he's their guy. Hopefully I can ... get a chance somewhere else.''
Landeta, 43, ranks first in the NFL with 1,367 career punts going into his 21st season. He spent the 1999-2002 seasons with the Eagles, punting 342 times for a 42.7-yard average, and was with the Rams the past two seasons.
Although he was unsigned, Landeta said he tried to stay in shape in the offseason.
``You're not doing it with a team in an organized fashion, but I try to do everything, as much as I could, the same,'' Landeta said. ``I needed to do that to have the best chance at getting signed.''
Until the Eagles called, teams had told Landeta they were looking for younger punters.
Johnson said he looks forward to spending some time with Landeta.
``I can just take that time and learn from him and try to pick up a few things,'' Johnson said. ``He's spent over 20 years in this league, and there's a reason why.''
To make room for Landeta, the Eagles released second-year punter Mark Mariscal, who averaged 42.1 yards on seven punts this preseason, but netted 31.1 yards.
Last year, Landeta averaged 32.5 net yards per punt in 10 games with the Rams, with an average return of 15.5 yards -- worst in the NFL among starters. He was released after the Rams allowed punt returns of 53 yards and 86 yards for a touchdown against the Bills in Week 11.
``Up to that point, our punt team had done very well,'' Landeta said. ``Two weeks earlier, I was leading the NFC in punting, and I thought I was punting well, but they thought that they needed to something to shake things up.''
Updated on Tuesday, Aug 23, 2005 4:54 pm EDT