San Francisco 49ers: 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.
Coach Mike Nolan is expected to decide on a quarterback, with the odds heavily favoring Pickett, who has never made a regular-season start, on Wednesday.
Palmer, 27, appeared in eight games, with three starts, in four seasons with the Giants, and was arguably more celebrated for starring in the reality series "The Bachelor" on ABC than for anything he accomplished on the field. He completed 63 of 120 passes for 562 yards, with three touchdown passes and four interceptions. All but four attempts came in the 2003 season, when he started in place of the injured Kerry Collins.
Most recently, Palmer, a former University of Florida player chosen by the Giants in the fourth round of the 2001 draft, auditioned for the Tampa Bay Bucs after starter Brian Griese was injured. Tampa Bay traded for San Francisco's Tim Rattay, however, instead of signing Palmer.
--Len Pasquarelli, ESPN.com
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.
Coach Mike Nolan is expected to decide on a quarterback, with the odds heavily favoring Pickett, who has never made a regular-season start, on Wednesday.
Palmer, 27, appeared in eight games, with three starts, in four seasons with the Giants, and was arguably more celebrated for starring in the reality series "The Bachelor" on ABC than for anything he accomplished on the field. He completed 63 of 120 passes for 562 yards, with three touchdown passes and four interceptions. All but four attempts came in the 2003 season, when he started in place of the injured Kerry Collins.
Most recently, Palmer, a former University of Florida player chosen by the Giants in the fourth round of the 2001 draft, auditioned for the Tampa Bay Bucs after starter Brian Griese was injured. Tampa Bay traded for San Francisco's Tim Rattay, however, instead of signing Palmer.
--Len Pasquarelli, ESPN.com
