Bengals rookie Andre Smith says that he hopes to avoid a holdout so that he can attend training camp. Smith was the sixth overall pick in April's NFL Draft. Negotiations could be difficult because Smith was drafted just one spot after Mark Sanchez, who signed a huge five-year contract with the Jets that could be worth as much as $60 million.

The Jets have claimed wide receiver Mario Urrutia off waivers from the Bengals, according to Scout.com. Urrutia, a former 2008 seventh-round pick of the Bengals, was waived last weekend.

Cedric Benson is ready to carry the rushing load for the Bengals this fall. "No doubt, I'm ready to carry this team on my back," Benson said. "I'm due, hungry for it, miss it, and excited. It's good to be on a team that wants you. It's a great opportunity for me and I am definitely going to seize every moment. "I plan to take full advantage of those opportunities and see where it takes us. I'm about whatever it takes to get the job done. I think I am in the best situation that I can be in and it has to happen for me here." Cincinnati will host Chicago, the team that drafted and let Benson go, in Week 7 of the season.

Bengals third-round pick Michael Johnson has taken snaps at defensive end, defensive tackle and outside linebacker during the team's minicamp. "I'm not really trying to put anything out there as far as an excuse," Johnson said. "You get on the field and go play." Johnson is a 6'7", 266 pounder. "It felt good just trying to learn everything so I can go out and play fast," Johnson said. "I feel like I'm a pretty intelligent guy. The coaches are showing they're confident enough in me to put it on me." He has swatted passes and shown excellent agility. "He's exhibited the athleticism we saw that he had," head coach Marvin Lewis said. "His temperament and speed have been outstanding. When you give him something to do, he goes out and does it. "He's been able to handle coaching ... and get better. He's a young player with a lot of physical tools and he's proven to us he has the mental capacity to handle it. Generally, when you combine those two elements, you have a very special player."

The Bengals are anticipating a long holdout from first-round draft pick Andre Smith. Cincinnati has had a number of players holdout in recent years, including defensive end Justin Smith (50 days in 2001) and David Pollack (all of training camp in 2005).

USC linebackers Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga have been reunited in Cincinnati. "I didn't want people to think I wasn't excited to be here because I dropped to the second round," Maualuga said. "I wanted to let everyone know that I love it here, and I wanted the fans to know I'm honored to be a Bengal. Anything I can do aside from playing football -- whether it's going to the Ronald McDonald House or rebuilding a playground -- anything I'm asked to do, I'll do it." Rivers has been trying to help Maualuga. He has served as a translator at times, helping the rookie get accustomed to the Bengals' terms for certain formations and plays.

The Bengals have signed sixth-round pick Bernard Scott and waived four players. Cincinnati has three of their eleven draft picks under contract. Tight end Matt Sherry, receiver Mario Urrutia, quarterback Billy Farris and long snapper James Smith were waived.

Laveranues Coles is thrilled with his supporting role in Cincinnati. The Bengals signed Coles as a secondary option in March after T.J Houshmandzadeh left for Seattle. "I love T.J.," receiver Chad Ochocinco said. "T.J.'s gone. Laveranues is here. They're two different types of players -- completely different. They have two different types of styles, but they will both be successful." Coles wasn't shy about one of the reasons he decided to come to Cincinnati. "I came here to get away from (the media)," Coles said Friday. "You've got Ocho."

Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco wrote on his Twitter page Thursday night that he has a beef with ESPN's Mike Golic. Ochocinco wrote: "Oh it's on again, I want to fight Mike Golic now, always got something negative to say, how about this, you've gained all that weight you lost back!!!!"

Shaelyn Palmer wasn't happy with rumors that Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco planned to stay with the family in July. Ochocinco told the media that he would being staying at Carson Palmer's house while he worked out with the quarterback next month. "As soon as I walked in the door from work the other day, she just gave me that look," Palmer said. "I'm like, 'Whoa, calm down. It's media stuff. It's Chad being Chad.' "I told her, 'Don't worry. I haven't made any commitments to having to clear out the boxes in the (spare) room to make a bed for him. Don't worry about that. It's not going to happen.' "