Johnson Undergoes Successful Surgery

The Bengals announced Wednesday that wide receiver Chad Johnson underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle.

All indications are that the procedure, performed in Cincinnati by Dr. Angelo Colosimo, went without complication. Johnson is expected to be ready for the start of training camp. The Bengals report to Georgetown College July 27, with the first practice to be held on July 28.

Johnson was bothered by bone spurs in the ankle last season, although it did not keep him from playing any games. The team suggested to Johnson in a letter sent after the season ended that he get the injury taken care of early in the offseason but the wide receiver waited until now, six weeks prior to the start of training camp.

Johnson attended last week’s three-day mandatory minicamp after a tumultuous offseason in which he complained about taking too much of the blame for the team’s 7-9 finish in 2007 and frequently asked to be traded. Johnson went so far as to say that if the team didn’t trade him he would be willing to sit out the season.

The Bengals, in essence, called Johnson’s bluff. He did not practice on the first day of minicamp but did more on the second day and participated fully on the final day.

Offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said Johnson appeared “rusty” after his Saturday workout but that didn’t keep Johnson from running with the No. 1 offense the entire practice. Johnson is coming off a 93-catch season in which he scored eight touchdowns and set a club record with 1,440 receiving yards.

Johnson, a five-time Pro Bowler, is the franchise’s all-time leader with 559 receptions and 8,365 yards in seven seasons. He passed Carl Pickens for the receptions lead and Isaac Curtis for the yardage total last season.

Johnson has four more years remaining on a six-year contract extension he signed in 2006 that could pay him as much as $35.5 million.