Sights and sounds of rookie mini-camp

The Bengals opened their rookie mini-camp today at the stadium.
Some observations:
-- At 6-feet-7, 334 pounds, second-round pick Andrew Whitworth is one of the largest human beings I've ever seen.
-- While rookie mini-camp serves a purpose, it has no entertainment value. Said one unidentified Bengals employee, "It's like watching paint dry, without benefit of the fumes."
-- We're pulling for first-year center Ben Wilkerson, coming back from a serious knee injury at the end of his college career at LSU in 2004. He missed all of last season. He's practicing with big braces on both knees, and it's almost painful to watch him try to run.
-- Former Miami University linebacker John Busing, who signed a rookie free agent contract, showed that did play safety in high school before being converted to a linebacker at Miami. He back-pedals fluidly.
-- Veteran defensive tackle John Thornton and his young son took in some of the afternoon practice from the sidelines.
-- Special teams draft pick Ethan Kilmer has a new nickname, courtesy of the writers that cover the team. "Val" Kilmer, after the actor.
-- Rookie free agent quarterback Erik Meyer was drafted three times by Major League Baseball teams, including the Reds. He is a pitcher with a 94 mph fastball.