Kicker Joe Nedney came up lame on Thanksgiving and is doubtful for Sunday's game at Tennessee, forcing the 49ers to look elsewhere for a foot for hire. That foot will likely belong to Jose Cortez, an NFL vagabond who kicked for San Francisco in 2001-02 and was with Dallas and Philadelphia earlier this season. Coach Mike Nolan said Nedney has been bothered by a sore groin much of the season. The condition worsened Thursday and the 49ers officially listed Nedney as questionable, although the first-year coach amended that to "probably doubtful'' after practice on Thanksgiving. "It's something he's had all season long,'' Nolan said. "He's been taking care of it, and for some reason it flared up more. B.Y. (defensive tackle Bryant Young, out with a knee injury) and Joe the same week is not a good deal. We have to adjust. Certainly it's a blow. That's the way it goes.''

Brandon Lloyd's one-handed catches have become almost commonplace for the San Francisco 49ers this season. Coach Mike Nolan wants to make sure his receiver's tendency to annoy his teammates isn't a regularity as well. A day after Lloyd made seven catches for 119 yards in a loss to Seattle, Nolan revealed he had spoken to his top wideout twice last week about sharp-edged comments regarding his teammates and the media after a loss to Chicago one week earlier.

Defensive lineman Bryant Young could miss the rest of the San Francisco 49ers' season after a torn ligament was discovered in his right knee Monday night. Young, a four-time Pro Bowl selection who's tied for the NFC lead with eight sacks this season, won't need surgery but will be out three to six weeks. He was hurt while tackling Seattle's Shaun Alexander in a 27-25 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday. An MRI exam revealed a complete tear of his MCL and a torn meniscus. Young, whose career has been revitalized by a move to defensive end this season, also sprained his ankle when a pile of players rolled over his leg on the play. Young, the only remaining member of San Francisco's last championship team, was on crutches when he returned to the 49ers' training complex from a doctors' appointment. He was disappointed, but hopeful he could return before the end of his most impressive year since his last trip to the Pro Bowl in 2002. "I'm staying optimistic and positive," Young said. "I'm just going to attack this rehab and get back as soon as I can."

San Francisco 49ers safety Tony Parrish broke his left leg early in the first quarter of Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears. Parrish, who had started 121 straight games in his eight-year career, including his first four years with the Bears, hurt his fibula on a running play. He walked off the field with help from trainers after staying on the ground for several moments.

Linebacker Julian Peterson had a game-high nine tackles last week against the Giants and said he has almost returned to the level at which he was playing before he tore his Achilles' tendon last year. "I'm not there right now, but I'm a lot closer than I was a month ago," he said. "I've got a lot more spring in my legs, and that's the important thing." Peterson is making $7.3 million this season and, for the third year in a row, will become a free agent at season's end. The 49ers could give him the franchise tag again, boosting his salary another 20 percent, but Peterson said he was ready to come to a long-term agreement. "Am I going to make this my home or not?" he asked. "The last few years, it's been like, What's going to happen? I'm just waiting patiently."

Center Jeremy Newberry was downgraded to doubtful Thursday on San Francisco's injury report and the two-time Pro Bowler likely will miss his first game of the season against the Bears. Newberry has started every game this year while playing with virtually no cartilage in his right knee, a condition that will require major microfracture surgery when his season finally is finished. Newberry also has separated both shoulders in the past month and has played through those injuries by taking painkilling injections before games. "[Coaches have] been telling me the last two weeks not to play," said Newberry, who has not practiced during the week since September. "They've been trying to get me to take the last two weeks off."

Reduced to one healthy quarterback, the 49ers on Tuesday signed veteran free agent Jesse Palmer, who played four seasons for the New York Giants before he was released this summer. Contract details were not yet available, but it is likely that Palmer signed a one-year deal for the minimum base salary of $540,000, prorated over the balance of this season. Team sources said that Palmer would likely spend three or four weeks on the roster, or until the injured quarterbacks are recovered. Rookie Alex Smith, the top overall selection in the 2005 draft, is battling a sprained right knee. Backup Ken Dorsey, who started last week's game, has a left ankle injury and is in a walking boot. San Francisco may be forced to start Cody Pickett, who finished up last Sunday's victory over Tampa Bay, in this weekend's game against the New York Giants. He would be the fourth different starter employed by San Francisco this season.