NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The Tennessee Titans wanted an experienced kicker, and they got one Wednesday night by agreeing to terms with Gary Anderson, the NFL’s career scoring leader and once again the league’s oldest player.

The Titans lost kicker Joe Nedney for the season to a torn ligament in his right, non-kicking leg during their 25-20 victory Sunday over the Oakland Raiders. Nedney and punter Craig Hentrich combined to kick four field goals in the game.

“It was important to find a veteran kicker who has made all the big kicks and been in all of the situations,” general manager Floyd Reese said. “We feel like Gary is the best available kicker and that we couldn’t afford to take a chance with a younger player with the number of games in this league that come down to a final kick.”

The 44-year-old Anderson had been looking for work since the end of last season when he finished up with Minnesota. The Vikings had tried to find a replacement for Anderson, but brought him back when his replacement missed a field goal and two extra points in the second week.

Anderson has 2,233 points in his career. He was 18-of-23 last season, and made a 53-yard field goal to beat Miami in December. But Anderson was just 3-of-8 between 40 and 49 yards.

He was the last of three kickers to audition for the Titans during the past two days, starting with Brett Conway on Tuesday followed by Neil Rackers on Wednesday morning. Anderson took his turn Wednesday afternoon following practice.

Coach Jeff Fisher said both Conway and Rackers kicked well. But Anderson has the experience the Titans want as they try to return to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2000.

Fisher said Monday that the Titans would need to find a cheap – and inexperienced – kicker because of their lack of space under the salary cap. But they were able to squeeze in Anderson using the NFL’s $450,000 minimum salary for veterans.

Hentrich, chosen Wednesday as the AFC’s special teams player for his performance against Oakland, said he will do what the Titans ask. He also wouldn’t mind handling kickoffs again, something he did between 1998 and 2000 when Al Del Greco was the kicker.

“It would be nice to get it back again,” Hentrich said.

The Titans had nobody else on the roster who could punt or handle kickoffs before reaching terms with Anderson. Hentrich said he has only seen backup quarterback Billy Volek even attempt a punt, and that went sideways.

Quarterback Steve McNair said he was a straight-ahead kicker in high school in Mississippi, but he wouldn’t test his luck in the NFL.

“I was 50-50. It might go in, it might not,” McNair said of his kicking skills.

A sore left knee didn’t keep him from practicing Wednesday at his real job.

“I’m used to it. No problem. I can do it with my eyes closed,” McNair joked of playing through an injury.

He missed five straight weeks of practice last December because of injuries but didn’t miss a start, leading the Titans to a 5-0 record in that stretch.

The Titans (1-0) visit Indianapolis (1-0) on Sunday, and McNair sustained turf toe last year playing on the artificial surface at the RCA Dome. He said he would prefer to be playing this game at home on natural grass but will be working with the trainers to ease the soreness in his knee before kickoff.

AP-ES-09-10-03 2003EDT