<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>49ers, kicker Nedney agree to multiyear dealBy Len PasquarelliESPN.comIn a move that should provide stability for the San Francisco 49ers' placement game, and for the career of Joe Nedney, the team has reached agreement in principle on a contract with the 10-year veteran kicker.Details of the multiyear deal are not yet available. Because Nedney signed a one-year contract for the minimum base salary of $655,000 in 2005, he must wait until the start of the new league year, March 3, to sign the new deal. But the multiyear contract, on average will probably pay Nedney at least double what he earned last season.In a 2005 season in which he resurrected his career, Nedney converted 26 of 28 field goal attempts and all 19 extra point tries, for 97 points. His 92.9 percent field goal conversion rate was the third best in the NFL among kickers with more than 20 attempts. Nedney made 12 of 13 field goals of 40 yards or more.Perhaps more important, after appearing in just one game over the previous two seasons, because of a pair of catastrophic injuries, Nedney missed just one contest in 2005.In the 2003 season opener, Nedney, playing with the Tennessee Titans, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while attempting to make a tackle on a kickoff and was placed on injured reserve. After rehabilitating his knee, Nedney tore his left hamstring during a Titans practice the week before the start of the 2004 season. In 1998, while with Arizona, he tore the ACL in his left knee.As a result, Nedney has kicked in all 16 games just three times in his career, but has been a reliable and accurate placement specialist when healthy.In 105 games, Nedney, 32, has converted 153 of 198 field goal attempts and 210 of 213 extra points tries. He has missed only eight of his 110 field goal tries from inside 40 yards.The contract extension, when officially executed, will grant Nedney some security and perhaps allow the former San Jose State standout to finish his career close to home. Before signing with the 49ers last spring, Nedney played in Miami (1996), Arizona (1997-98), Oakland (1999), Denver (2000), Carolina (2000) and Tennessee (2001-2004).Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.</div> http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2348318
