"Hey, Ty!" Rhodes said with a big grin. "I love you, Ty!"

Talk about a warm welcome back. The five-time Pro Bowl cornerback passed his physical and practiced with New York on Tuesday after signing a one-year deal to rejoin the team he played for three seasons ago.

"I'm just happy I got another opportunity to come up here and play and help this team," Law said. "I think they're on the right track and they're moving in the right direction. And I'm not the oldest guy in the locker room anymore. Thanks, Brett."

Law, who at 34 is five years younger than Brett Favre, spent the last two seasons with Kansas City. He sat out the first 10 weeks as a free agent, but coach Eric Mangini said Law was in excellent shape and could play Thursday against the Patriots.

"We'll see how it goes here today," said Mangini, who knows Law from their days in New England. "I think there's definitely a chance."

The Jets released cornerback Justin Miller, a Pro Bowl kick returner in 2006, to make room for Law.

"I think he's an excellent returner," Mangini said. "I think he's got a really bright future ahead of him."

For now, the Jets believe Law helps them more in the secondary despite showing few signs during the last two seasons of being the shutdown cornerback he once was. He has 52 career interceptions, but just six in his two seasons with Kansas City.

"We know Ty," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "He's very competitive, good ball skills. We have to be careful throwing around him."

Mangini, who coached Law as New England's defensive backs coach for five seasons, said he liked the versatility Law brings and the ability to play him at both the cornerback and safety positions. Mangini added that Law would likely be more of a role player at first rather than step right into the starting lineup.

"I feel like a rookie again, as far as how they're going to utilize me," Law said. "I'm looking forward to it."

He garnered interest from New York, Cleveland and New England, where he played the first 10 years of his NFL career.

"I just didn't want to go anywhere and play my last few years," Law said. "Where I'm at is right. I didn't take advantage of a couple of opportunities and that's my fault. I could've been out there playing."