Updated: 3:25 p.m.
On the first day of Chad Ocho Cinco's name change, the Bengals had new names in old places.
Try former Lions guard Frank Davis in Willie Anderson's locker after the Bengals picked him up off waivers. When the Bengals drafted Anderson in the first round in 1996, Davis was 14 years old and living in Panama.
"I heard he's a great player," is all Davis knew of the Bengals all-time right tackle.
As for the man formerly known as Chad Johnson, he only wanted to talk football and not about his name. He says his shoulder is 100 percent and he's ready to practice Monday for the first time since he tore his labrum 15 days ago.
 Johnson |
For just the second time since the Dec. 30 finale in Miami Monday, quarterback Carson Palmer was on the field together with his Pro Bowl tandem of wide receivers, Ocho Cinco and Houshmandzadeh. Asked if he would need work with Palmer after practice , Johnson said, "I don't think they want me to (because of the shoulder). ... We've got 143 plays (in practice)."
Then there was an old name in a new place. Cornerback Deltha O'Neal, cut Saturday by the Bengals, surfaced in the Patriots locker room Monday morning with a one-year contract wearing No. 21.
And another old name in a new place. This time in Cincinnati when Chris Perry lined up in preparation for his fourth NFL start at running back and first since Nov. 12, 2006. The job came down Saturday when the Bengals released Rudi Johnson, but Perry was a bit bemused by Monday's media crowd.
 Perry |
More musical lockers: Another running back named Johnson moved into Rudi Johnson's stall. Rookie James Johnson moved in as a member of the practice squad.
No .1 pick Keith Rivers got the old Takeo Spikes-Kevin Hardy-David Pollack locker, the first stall on the right entering the locker room's main entrance.
From the No. 3 quarterback to the No. 1 right tackle in franchise history, Palmer had to admit that even though this is a business this cutdown day was particularly rough.
But also rewarding.
Palmer lost one of his best friends in Jeff Rowe as well as an offensive leader in Willie Anderson. But he gained a brother for a teammate in Jordan Palmer, the new No. 3 quarterback.
"He played real well in the games and he had good command of the offense for a guy in his first year here," Carson said Monday. "He really grasped it fast. That's what you want in a third guy is someone who comes in and grasps it and he did a good job. It's tough to lose Jeff Rowe. He was one of my best friends on the team."
It was also tough to lose Anderson, a key reason Palmer put up big numbers so quickly.
"I think we're all surprised, but it's a business and it's a game of numbers at the end of the day," Palmer said. "We all respected him tremendously. I loved playing with him. I loved how he had my right side and loved his leadership. The way he rubbed off on young guys like Stacy (Andrews), (Scott), Kooistra), (Eric) Ghiaciuc. He's a pro. Not just his playing ability, but helping out young guys and being a great representative for what it takes to be a great offensive lineman in this league. The young guys were really fortunate to have him in front of them so he could watch how he handled himself."
SLANTS AND SCREENS
One of the beneficiaries of the Cap Carnage on Saturday could be kicker Shayne Graham with about $8 million freed up. But he's standing by his pledge he doesn't want to renegotiate during the year, so this is the last week he'll talk until the end of the season.
"That said, I don't see it going into free agency," Graham said. "But the last time I was out there proved there's a market, but I prefer to stay here."
After the 2003 season, Jacksonville signed Graham to an offer sheet that the Bengals matched.
Davis, wearing No. 61, is a pretty good get as far as the waiver wire goes. Here is a guy who made three starts as a rookie in 2006 and did it at both right and left guard. He said the knee injury that caused him to go to IR in 2007 was not that serious and termed it just a sprain.
