Matt Turk begins latest chapter of lengthy career

Matt Turk drove from Houston to Jacksonville on Saturday night, a 14-hour trek across Interstate 10 that included several stops.

None of them was for a nap.

One of the oldest players in the NFL last season signed a one-year contract worth nearly $2 million with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, giving the team an experienced punter to replace Adam Podlesh.

Calling Turk a veteran would be an understatement. The 43-year-old punter is joining his seventh franchise in 18 seasons.

''He could walk in here with a cane, but I think he's going to be OK,'' coach Jack Del Rio said.

Turk said he had contact with Philadelphia and the New York Giants as well as Houston, where he spent the last four seasons. He said the Texans asked him to hold off on making a choice until after they worked out Dave Zastudil and Daniel Sepulveda.

''I was like, `You want me to wait around?' I can't do it,'' he said. ''I know how this business works and I was told that they were going to go young, which I understood. But when they want you to wait to see if two other guys are going to replace you or not is just something you can't do.''

So he chose Jacksonville, returning to the Sunshine State where he played two stints with the Miami Dolphins. Turk, who dealt with a hip flexor injury last season, said the Jaguars were enticing because he will get to play with special teams standouts Montell Owens and Kassim Osgood.

Podlesh enjoyed a career year with Owens and Osgood. He ranked fifth in the league with a net average of 39.2 yards. Tuck ranked 20th with a net average of 36.8 yards.

The Jaguars had hoped to keep Podlesh, but the free agent signed a five-year, $10 million contract with Chicago. Jacksonville quickly turned to Turk, who packed up his sports utility vehicle and made the nearly 900-mile drive Saturday.

The Jaguars waived linebacker JoJo Dickson so make room for Turk, who signed his contract Sunday and joined his teammates on the field for a morning walkthrough. League rules prohibit him from practicing until next week, maybe as late as Thursday.

''He's been a good punter for a long time,'' Del Rio said. ''He's punted at a high level, he's got great experience, he's good with holds, poised and he's still got some pop in his leg. He's done a great job taking care of himself and that's a position - kind of like maybe backup quarterback or even some of the cornerbacks - you can play in your 40s now. I don't think you could see a running back doing that, but you can get with it at punter.''

Turk's career started in 1993 by calling the Green Bay Packers relentlessly while working at his brother's bar. He eventually got a tryout and played in a preseason game. He also played with the Los Angeles Rams (1994), Washington (1995-99), Miami (2000-01, 2003-05), the New York Jets (2002) and the St. Louis Rams (2006).

''I've been very blessed with health and longevity and my skill level to be able stay at the level that it has in order to stay in the league,'' Turk said. ''Because once that goes, they don't keep you around because they like you.''

He could be far from done, too.

Turk has thought about trying to become the oldest player in the NFL, breaking George Blanda's record of kicking at age 48 in 1976.

''I think I could (play at 50),'' he said. ''I would love to. ... If the Lord blesses me with my health the way that he has and I continue to train the way that I do in the offseason, it definitely can be done.''