The Bengals waived undrafted rookie quarterback Matt Johnson and replaced him with another when the University of Buffalo's Joe Licata had a successful tryout Monday.

 The 6-2, 210-pound Licata, out of Williamsville, N.Y.,  set nine school records while playing at his hometown college as the most decorated high school quarterback in the history of Western New York.

Licata doesn't have great size or a big arm and he's coming off a failed tryout with the Bills. But his 9,485 yards and 76 touchdown passes are school records and he's got a reputation as a smart field general who is a coach's son. His father, Gil Licata, was a widely respected high school basketball coach who won a state championship.

Joe Licata, who had 16 touchdown passes this season, is extremely confident when it comes to the Xs and Os.

 "I think I can talk with the best of them. I live, breathe, everything is football. I love it," he told Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News before the draft. "I love to sit in the meeting room and talk with those guys. I'm certain in my abilities.

"I know what I can do. I've never had a question about learning an offense and seeing the way things break down and knowing the answers to the test. That's what playing quarterback is about. You get a study guide — which is the film — and then you go take the test on Sundays in the NFL. It's 'how well have you prepared?' It's like going to school again."

*ANOTHER DEAL: *Second-round pick Tyler Boyd signed his rookie deal Monday, joining third-round choice Nick Vigil, sixth-rounder Cody Core, and seventh-rounder Clayton Fejedelem in the fold. Only three are left to ink, including first-rounder William Jackson.  Boyd, the University of Pittsburgh's career leader in yards and catches, is a leading contender to be the Bengals' starting slot receiver.

"We're excited to have Tyler officially in the fold," said head coach Marvin Lewis in a news release. "He had such a productive career at Pittsburgh. A great receiver, and he's also rushed the ball and thrown it. He's done it all there, kick returns, too.

"He's competitive and strong. He's great with the ball in his hands, he does a great job of using his body to create separation, and he seems to understand the game very well. He's a good fit for us and where we want to go moving forward."