Updated: 1:25 p.m.
In the shortest of weeks, it looks like the Bengals won't be short their starting quarterback. Michael Johnson, minus the boot, scrambled to put on his cleats for Wednesday morning's workout at Paul Brown Stadium. But not before he stopped tight end Jermaine Gresham and told him he wanted to work with him on a specific route.
After not working Monday and Tuesday after he injured his foot Sunday against the Bills, Palmer reiterated he'll play Thanksgiving night (8:20, NFL Network, Cincinnati's Channel 12) in the New Meadowlands against the Jets and he's listed as probable on the injury report. Backup Jordan Palmer joked that he tried to talk his brother into taking the night off so he could get two weeks of rest before hosting the Saints.
"I tried it. It didn't work. He wants to play," Jordan said. "I'm ready to roll."
Carson Palmer admitted that his only practice of the week coming in the brief workout before the Bengals board their charter flight "is not ideal," but he's confident he can execute the game plan. With days off because of his sore throwing shoulder and now foot, Jordan Palmer has received plenty of No. 1 reps the past few weeks. And he's pretty much his brother's eyes and ears during the game. He checked in to play the last series against the Bills.
"He didn't look out of place. He managed the team the way you would want him to do it," offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said of Jordan Palmer. "He does a really good with extra film work, understanding the things necessary in the run game, understanding the things necessary to get the right pass protections with the issues that each play presents. He does a lot of things (during games). The fact they're brothers allows it to be a little smoother."
INJURY NEWS:Defensive end Antwan Odom (wrist) and safety Roy Williams (concussion) were both declared out for Thursday's game on the official injury report. Listed as questionable are cornerbacks Brandon Ghee (groin), Johnathan Joseph (ankle) and Rico Murray (ankle). Right tackle (knee) Dennis Roland is probable along with Carson Palmer.
MORE MOVES:Remember when the Bengals went 37 days without making a transaction at the beginning of the season? In response to their injury-riddled secondary, they made their 25th and 26th moves in the last 16 days on Wednesday. In order to activate rookie safety Jeromy Miles from the practice squad, they waived fifth-year defensive end Victor Adeyanju six days after signing him and three days after he was inactive against Buffalo.
The 6-2, 215-pound Miles is a college free agent that played in all five Bengals preseason games with six tackles before he was cut from what was the deepest secondary in defensive backs coach Kevin Coyle's 10 seasons. It's another sign that the DBs that haven't practiced this week won't play against the Jets, such as starting safety Roy Williams.
SLANTS AND SCREENS
» Left tackle Andrew Whitworth, the Bengals rep to the NFL Players Association, says he doesn't think the short work week for Thursday night games is going to be an issue in the collective bargaining agreement talks.
"I don't hear much about it. Guys complain about it the week they have to do it, but that's it," Whitworth said. "It's another chance to get TV ratings. I guess it's good for the league. It's tough on you physically. I don't think guys really care. (Preparation) isn't too bad, especially this time of year. You've got your schemes in. It's harder on the younger guys."
» One of the newest Bengals cornerbacks, Jonathan Wade, has already spent a week this season preparing for the Jets while with the Lions. But he said he didn't play much at all in the Jets' late win and even if he did he doesn't think it would help. "Each team keys and focuses on different things," he said.
Wade, who has made six starts in 55 NFL games, said he feels relatively comfortable because "football is football. You have to get to know people and how they react to situations. But it's still football."
And he found out early that football is not track. At Tennessee during college he was a five-time All-American sprinter.
"Track is a lot different than football," Wade said. "We start out at corner with a disadvantage. Our back is already turned."
» The NFL Today on CBS is airing a feature on late Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry on Thursday between noon and 12:30 p.m. on Cincinnati's Channel 12.
