Quarterback Gus Frerotte said Monday that he was pleased with his first weekend with the Bengals and plans to attend all of the Bengals' 14 voluntary veteran workouts that will begin today.

        “I just wanted to get a grasp of the offense and get to know the guys on the team,” he said.

        Frerotte said he was impressed by the receivers, offensive line and running back Corey Dillon.

        “He's the best in the league,” Frerotte said of Dillon. “Just watching him run, he just busts through the line. He's going to be a great guy to play with.”

        Frerotte had a good view of Dillon's single-game individual rushing record of 278 yards in October 2000. Frerotte was on the Denver sidelines as the backup to starter Brian Griese.

        Frerotte separated his throwing shoulder with the Broncos in December and had surgery. He didn't throw in Sunday afternoon's practice.

        “It's fine,” he said. “I didn't throw today. I just got some treadmill work in.”

        STAYING INSIDE: There was no practice outside Monday morning because of rain.

        “We thought what we could accomplish indoors with meetings and walk-throughs would come close to what we could get done out there, particularly at this stage,” coach Dick LeBeau said.

        INJURY UPDATE: Defensive lineman Glen Steele had surgery on his right meniscus cartilage Monday and should be 100 percent in no more than three weeks, Bengals trainer Paul Sparling said.

        Wide receiver Darnay Scott saw a surgeon late Monday about the soreness in his left shin, and he might need surgery to remove a 14-inch rod that was inserted when Scott broke the leg in August 2000. Even if surgery is performed, Scott should be ready for the start of training camp July 26, Sparling said.

        NO LAMONT: Rookie free safety Lamont Thompson missed all of minicamp and won't participate on the field with the Bengals until he signs a contract or receives a written guarantee of injury protection from the Bengals.

        The Bengals said they are bound by the Collective Bargaining Agreement to pay a second-round pick the rookie tender offer of $225,000 if he would get hurt before signing.

        But the Thompson camp says almost every other NFL team provides written assurances to all draft picks that they would pay the player his slotted salary and signing bonus -- even if he were injured before signing.

        For an early second-round draft pick, the average signing bonus last season was approximately $1.4 million.

        OINK: In an era of bland nicknames, Bengals free agent safety Edward Prather has one of the most colorful. He goes by “Pig.” And that's how he's listed on the team roster. He has Pig in a tattoo on his arm.

        “I used to run down the cafeteria and take food off kids' trays in first grade,” said Prather, who played college ball at Mississippi State. “That's all it was. One of my first grade teachers, she just called me out, "You're a pig.' All the little kids just started calling me Pig.”

        FOOD SERVICE: Wide receiver Chad Johnson has put on added muscle in his upper body, and his diet has played a role in his improved health.

        Last year, as a rookie, Johnson said he ate three meals a day, every day, for several months during the season at a hamburger restaurant. Wide receivers coach Steve Mooshagian told Johnson he had spent more than $5,000 in that time.

        This year, Johnson said he is eating all of his meals at Paul Brown Stadium, where the Bengals provide food service to players and other employees.

        “Not that I would have been overweight,” said the 6-foot-2, 192-pound Johnson, “but it's like coach (Bob Bratkowski) told me — it would catch up with me in the long run.”

        On the other end of the dietary spectrum, running back Brandon Bennett has almost no body fat — even though he was laid up for part of the winter after hand surgery — because he eats little beside chicken, fish and vegetables.

        “That helps a lot,” said the 5-11, 220-pound Bennett.

Bengals WRs make big strides at minicamp Notes: Frerotte has a good first impression

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