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CINCINNATI — Bengals fullback Jeremi Johnson's season ended before it began.

The sixth-year veteran, who battled weight problems all of training camp, was placed on injured reserve Wednesday, Sept. 3, with a knee injury, ending his playing eligibility for 2008.

"He injured himself, his knee, at practice on Monday," head coach Marvin Lewis revealed at his post-practice news conference. "He actually finished the practice, ironically, but he had a knee scope (Wednesday) morning."

Lewis is confident in new starter Daniel Coats, a converted tight end.

"Yeah, I am," Lewis said. "Very confident in Daniel."

To fill the void on the 53-man active roster, the club signed ex-Miami Dolphins fullback Reagan Maui'a, He joins defensive end Jonathan Fanene and defensive tackle Domata Peko as current Bengals from American Samoa.

Troy Smith out

Baltimore quarterback Troy Smith, the former Ohio State All-American and Heisman Trophy winner, is bothered by infected tonsils and likely won't play.

Rookie Joe Flacco will start with newly signed Todd Bouman as the backup. Bouman replaces Kyle Boller, who went on injured reserve because of a shoulder injury.

"It's going to be a week or two (recovery for Smith)," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "But he looks a lot better. A couple days ago, he looked bad. So he's down about 15-20 pounds. He's got some of that back now. He's eating. He's been in the meetings. So he's around."

Early departure?

Tropical Storm Hanna, which is heading for the East Coast of the U.S., could force the Bengals to travel to Baltimore on Friday night instead of Saturday as originally planned.

"It all depends on the weather forecast and what the league advises," club spokesman Jack Brennan said.

Injury report

Wide receiver Chad Ocho Cinco (sprained left shoulder) and quarterback Carson Palmer (broken nose) participated fully in practice and should be listed as probable Friday.

Safety Chinedum Ndukwe (knee) and defensive tackle Pat Sims (toe) are out; Fanene (illness) didn't practice; and wide receiver Andre Caldwell (toe) and linebacker Brandon Johnson (hamstring) had limited participation in practice.

Name game

The NFL has not ruled on whether Chad can use "Ocho Cinco" instead of Johnson on his jersey nameplate.

"That's my legal name," Ocho Cinco said. "That's what I want to be called."