Rudi Johnson, Eric Henderson, Antwan Odom, Rashad Jeanty and T.J. Houshmandzadeh are back at practice, Houshmandzadeh said he'll see what he can do, but isn't sure if he'll play on Thursday.

Chinedum Ndukwe said he expects to return "soon."

Chad Johnson showed his shoulder is good enough, doing 20 pushups with his feet in his locker and his arms using his stool to do the pushups. "It was actually 21," Houshmandzadeh said. Johnson said he wouldn't have surgery on the shoulder, even though he was advised to have surgery, because he doesn't want to miss any part of the season.

Johnson said he asked Marvin Lewis to play on Thursday, but Lewis told him no.

Carson Palmer didn't talk, his nose and lip were still bandaged and it looked bad.

I told Jordan Palmer that if there was ever any doubt, he's now the pretty one in the family. "I guess by default," he said.

Bobbie Williams alluded to the fact that it may not have been all the offensive line's problems that led to Saturday's offensive woes, but said it was still his responsibility.

Quotes from the open locker room:

Chad Johnson was asked if he was concenred, he said no and was asked if it's just because it's preseason:

"Because it’s preseason and we don’t have all the key factors in there right now."

How long will that take?

"For us? With the factors we have? Two or three days. It’s like riding a bike, once you get on you figure it out real fast."

It was noted that the three hadn't been together on the field since the end of last season:

"That’s no different than Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie off filming a movie and they’re apart that long and when they get together they’re having kids. It’s the same when we get back on the field together, we’re going to produce."

As for his shoulder:

"It’s good. There’s nothing wrong with me. I need surgery. But there’s still nothing wrong with me."

You need surgery, you’ll have it when?

"I’m not going to have it. For what?"

You need it but you’re not going to have it?

"For what? I’ve got a season to play."

He joked that he was back to full strength because of steroids and HGH.

Johnson was also in a protective harness.

"Precaution. It makes me look sexy. I like it. I have to. I’ve talked to a lot of people who have played with this injury. Kellen Winslow, Dante Stallworth, Westbrook, maybe about 10 guys I’ve talked to, they didn’t get surgery, they played and had a successful season. So I’ll be fine."

On his challenge with Michael Phelps:

"I was playing around and he took it on himself to call me back out, which was not very smart. I’m sure we’ll have something in the works after the season ends. It’s not set. I have other things to focus on besides Phelps, like Baltimore."

He said he wanted to play Thursday:

"I asked Marvin to play Thursday, just to not to prove a point, but to show that I’m ready to go and he told me no. There’s no need. I already got hurt in one preseason game, there’s no reason for another. I will be ready for the opener and it’s going to be exciting. It’s going to be a good Ocho day."

And asked if he could re-injure his shoulder:

"The risk of it happening again isn’t much." And as he said that, he knocked on his wooden locker.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh:

Will he be ready for Baltimore:

"Lord willing, I should be. If my body tells me yeah, I will. But if it doesn't, then I won't."

What is it telling you right now?

"I'll tell you tomorrow. I don't know what it's telling me."

So you're going to try something today?

"If that's what you want to call it. I'm going to get out there. But you never know. Like I said, you don't really know until you get out there and you start running. I know I can run, it's just a matter of can I run with people pushing on me and that type of stuff. We'll see."

Will you be able to play Thursday?

"I think that's probably too far to look ahead. I'll let you know probably tomorrow, depending on how today goes."

 From Practice

Antwan Odom was not fully dressed out. No helmet, but went through some drills. Chad Johnson did the same.

Rudi Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh were in shorts and helmet like everyone else, going through all the drills.

Carson Palmer watched from midfield in sweats.

Antwan Odom:

Odom said he needs about week and a half to get ready. And he's frustrated that he got injured so early.

"Bad frustrating. The first day, coming out there and making a wrong move and being done for four weeks, people can't even see you play, what they paid for. I want to go out and prove that to them."

Rudi Johnson:

Johnson said he expects to play on Thursday.

"It's been frustrating not being able to go out and help. It's a long season, and the season is here, close enough, and the main thing is getting ready for that, taking necessary steps."