DaytonDailyNews.com

CINCINNATI — So much for T.J. Houshmandzadeh's rust. It's all gone.

The Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver turned up the volume of his play Friday, June 13, running smooth routes and making several leaping catches on Day 2 of minicamp at Paul Brown Stadium.

Houshmandzadeh, who was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2007 (112 catches, 1,143 yards and 12 touchdowns), decided to train again on his own in Southern California this offseason until his presence in Cincinnati was mandatory.

He's about to enter the final year of his contract. Speculation is heavy that he'll leave via free agency next spring and be replaced by current rookies Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell.

"Don't worry about the contract year," Houshmandzadeh said. "I'm going to go out there and get better like I have. Since the Bengals have given me a chance to play, I've gotten better every year, and I'm going to get better this year."

Play of the day

Houshmandzadeh's only mistake came on a catch that was stolen by second-year cornerback David Jones.

Quarterback Carson Palmer threw what appeared to be a compete pass to Houshmandzadeh on a left-side out-route.

"I saw the ball and broke on it," Jones said. "We both had our hands on it. I just tugged it loose. It was a good throw by Carson."

Crutches begone

Tailback DeDe Dorsey got rid of the crutches, but not the limp. He was walking gingerly a day after being taken off the field on a cart.

"He has a hamstring pull," head coach Marvin Lewis said, "and we probably won't know much until we open up training camp. It'll be that long, at least."

Mentoring process

Tight end Reggie Kelly has taken rookie Matt Sherry under his wing.

Sherry, a sixth-round draft pick out of Villanova with a reputation for being a pass-catching tight end, appreciates Kelly's help and support.

"I don't think it gets any better than that," Sherry said. "Reggie stays with me after practice and is always asking me, 'Are you getting everything?'

"He keeps telling me to keep my head up, that (success) is not going to happen overnight. It's been good. I'm lucky to have somebody like that ahead of me."

Pleasant surprise

Right defensive tackle John Thornton is happy for left defensive tackle Domata Peko, who signed a five-year, $30.3 million extension.

"He's good for the team," Thornton said. "They know he's a solid kid and he's not going to disrespect the game. He got a nice deal and he'll play it out."

Henry suspended

Former Bengals receiver Chris Henry has been suspended indefinitely by the NFL. The Bengals released Henry on April 3 after he was arrested for the fifth time. Henry is scheduled for trial June 24 in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court on charges of assault and criminal damaging.

Seen and overheard

• The punt return job looks like Antonio Chatman's to lose. "It should be," he said. The top backups: Cornerback Deltha O'Neal, wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh and, yes, cornerback Leon Hall. Hall is handling punts flawlessly at minicamp. "You can never be too prepared," Hall said.

• Left tackle Levi Jones is sad Baltimore's Jonathan Ogden retired. "I watched a lot of film on the man," Jones said. "Anytime I needed to know how to block a guy, he was one of the first films I put on — him blocking it and him doing it."

• Defensive tackle John Thornton and his wife, Allison, are building a home in Indian Hill, an affluent suburb of Cincinnati. Is the residence anywhere near club president Mike Brown and head coach Marvin Lewis? "It's close enough," Thornton said. "I know where they live."

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