Today's schedule

8:45-11 a.m., practice

6:30-8:30 p.m., practice (autograph session and fireworks follow)

Directions

From Downtown: Take I-75 South about 70 miles to Exit 126 (Georgetown, Ky.). Turn right off ramp onto U.S. 460 West. Stay on 460 for about 2 miles. Turn right at light onto Lemons Mill Road (1962 West). Turn right into driveway flanked with Georgetown College/Bengals signs.

Coming up

The team will practice once each Thursday and Friday. The Bengals travel to Tampa Bay on Friday in preparation for their preseason opener on Saturday. The training camp complex will be closed Sunday.

Injury report

• Left tackle Levi Jones (car accident) returned to practice Tuesday morning.

• Tight end James Whalen suffered a knee injury Monday and will have surgery today to repair cartilage. He'll be out 2-6 weeks.

• Guard Eric Steinbach (elbow) and wide receiver Maurice Mann (ankle) could be back by the middle of this week. Fullback Jeremi Johnson (groin) might be back by the end of the week.

Palmer watch

Carson Palmer is showing maturity and patience in the pocket. He is throwing dump passes to running backs when his downfield receivers are covered.

Against a heavy rush in semi-contact full-pad practice Tuesday morning, Palmer stepped forward in the pocket and fired a quick pass on the right flat to fullback Alex Wade, giving Wade enough time to make a move before defenders closed in.

Tuesday's highlights

Linebacker Kevin Hardy said that his two-handed slam of Chad Johnson in practice Monday was an accident after they became tangled while Hardy was trying to strip the ball. "It was nothing to do with any of that," Hardy said when asked if he were sending Johnson a message.

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