Locker-room notes

The Bengals are in their fourth week of their offseason strength and conditioning program and just held an open locker-room period for the media.

-- Backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said he would sign his $927,000 restricted free agent offer with the Bengals in a day or two.

-- Carson Palmer, speaking for the first time about the release two weeks ago of wide receiver Chris Henry, "You thought it might happen, given his track record. It's too bad. (Henry is) an amazing talent, and to see him throw it away is tough. He's a good-hearted person. It's just too bad."

-- On the need Henry's departure creates for the Bengals at wide receiver, Palmer said he was concerned but also enthused about the players in the program.

"It doesn't seem we have a lot of options from the outside perspective," Palmer said. "But we have Antonio (Chatman), Glenn (Holt), and now Doug (Gabriel) is here. We still have T.J. (Houshmandzadeh) and Chad (Johnson). ... None of them are rookies. They are guys with experience."

-- Palmer said he has spoken via phone with Johnson, who is skipping the offseason program because of lingering unhappiness with the organization, and Johnson told Palmer that "he'll be there he has to." That would be the mandatory minicamp in mid-June.

-- Gabriel, signed as a street free agent after a year out of football, said his early work with Palmer reminds him of New England quarterback Tom Brady, with whom he also played.

-- New tight end Ben Utecht said he would throw later today with Palmer for the first time.