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In an article published early Thursday, Cincinnati Enquirer staffer Mark Curnutte reminded readers that Wednesday was just the third day of the Bengals' offseason conditioning program, but Chad Johnson -- or at least his voice -- was already in midseason form.

The Pro Bowl wide receiver revived his goal from 2003 for 2004, saying he would have 1,800 receiving yards.

Johnson, fresh off his first all-star appearance, did add a new twist.

"The Pro Bowl is a given," he said. "I'm playing for the Hall of Fame now. That's my new motto."

Johnson and Peter Warrick both had the best seasons of their young careers in 2003, with Johnson catching 90 passes for 1,355 yards and 10 touchdowns. Warrick caught 79 balls for 814 yards and seven touchdowns. No wide receiver tandem in team history had ever caught as many passes for as many yards as Johnson and Warrick did last season.

Johnson anticipates that the Bengals, with strong-armed Carson Palmer starting at quarterback, will throw the ball deep more often.

"To have that ability to throw that deep ball with the arm strength to match my speed. ... Our system was not built around the deep ball," Johnson said of previous seasons. "We were so good at the short and intermediate game. Any long balls we got were just a plus.

"But if we can be good at the short and intermediate stuff, and be good at the long ball also, which is something Carson is good at. ..."

Johnson recalled just four deep passes that were completed to him last year. He said eight or 10 should come his way this season. ...

According to Dayton Daily News beat man Chick Ludwig, Johnson will redecorate his locker by replacing some older pictures of his family with a new one. ... Of Jerry Rice, who set the NFL single-season receiving record of 1,848 yards in 1995.

"I'm going to get a picture of Rice and put it up here, and put '1,800' above it, and I'll look at it every day," Johnson said. ...

Other Fantasy-specific news and notes from around the NFL. ...

In Tampa Bay. ... Appearing in a Phoenix courtroom, Buccaneers running back Michael Pittman pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of endangerment following charges he used his Hummer to ram a car carrying his wife, 2-year-old son and a baby sitter.

In exchange for pleading guilty, charges of aggravated assault and aggravated domestic violence were dropped. Under the plea agreement, Pittman could be sentenced to anything from three years of supervised probation to a maximum of two years in prison.

According to Associated Press writer Beth DeFalco, Pittman is scheduled to be sentenced April 23.

Pittman was indicted in June on two counts of aggravated assault for ramming his Hummer into a Mercedes carrying his wife, Melissa Pittman, his 2-year-old son, and baby sitter Kristina Hegland in May near Pittman's home in Phoenix.

No one was hurt, but the crash pushed the car over a median and tore one of the tires from its rim. Authorities said the cause involved a disagreement about taking the child to training camp.

Pittman was previously convicted of domestic violence in July 2001.

Because last year's crash fell within five years of Pittman's previous domestic violence convictions, prosecutors were able to file an additional charge of aggravated domestic violence, officials said.

After Thursday's hearing, Mrs. Pittman's attorney told DeFalco she had "a bad taste in her mouth" about the prosecution.

Pittman played four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. He signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent in 2002.

Stay tuned. I'll undoubtedly have more on this one next month. ...

In Detroit. ... According to Booth Newspapers beat man Tom Kowalski, Mike McMahon has decided to keep all of his options open.

McMahon is expected to sign a one-year, $1.3 million contract and report for the start of the Detroit Lions offseason workouts on Monday. McMahon, who has said repeatedly that he doesn't want to be a backup in the NFL, will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2004 season.

The two sides had talked about a two- or three-year deal, but McMahon has decided to play one more season for the Lions and then test the free agency market next year.

McMahon, who is a restricted free agent, was hoping to get some offers this off-season but the Lions effectively ended that by tendering the $1.3 million offer. That meant any team that signed McMahon would have to surrender a first-round draft pick to the Lions.

McMahon hasn't been thrilled with his situation in Detroit, but it's better than it was last season when the third-year quarterback refused to attend any voluntary workouts.

After starting seven games in his first two NFL seasons, McMahon wanted a pay raise last year for the final season of his three-year deal, but the Lions wouldn't negotiate. McMahon, who made $389,000 in salary last season, worked out on his own in the off-season and didn't take part in voluntary team activities.

With Joey Harrington starting every game last season, McMahon saw playing time in only three games, completing 9 of 31 passes for 87 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions.

In his first two seasons, McMahon threw 10 touchdown passes, 10 interceptions and had four rushing touchdowns. ...

In Buffalo. ... Kordell Stewart was cautious in discussing his interest in joining the Buffalo Bills. The free-agent quarterback's actions were far more obvious.

According to Buffalo News staff writer Allen Wilson, Stewart met Wednesday with the Bills, in a visit that began with him standing on the sideline watching the team's first day of a three-day mini-camp.

Before the session was over, Stewart, dressed in street clothes, was on the field joking with Buffalo's players.

Afterward, the nine-year veteran said he's taking his time before deciding what to do now that he's been released from Chicago following one disappointing season.

"I'm a patient guy, I like to let everything kind of fall into place," said Stewart, who also visited Denver earlier this month. "As excited as I am, I have to kind of step back, maybe two steps, to get a full glimpse of what's taking place."

Stewart, however, smiled when saying the Bills would be "a no-brainer" choice for him, considering the team's new head coach, Mike Mularkey, and new offensive coordinator, Tom Clements. Both coached Stewart during his eight-year stint in Pittsburgh.

"It helps a lot," Stewart told Wilson. "You want to be in a situation where you can land on your feet."

The Bills, who are set at starter with Drew Bledsoe, are seeking an experienced backup after releasing Alex Van Pelt last week. Stewart's visit came a day after the team met with former Atlanta backup Doug Johnson.

Bills general manager Tom Donahoe said Stewart's experience and athletic ability -- he leads all active quarterbacks with 38 rushing touchdowns -- would make him a good fit as a backup. But Donahoe said he has no timetable for filling the team's need.

Donahoe is another former Steelers executive who, as Pittsburgh's director of football operations, drafted Stewart in 1995.

Besides the backup spot, Donahoe added the Bills are also seeking to acquire a young quarterback to groom as an eventual replacement to Bledsoe.

Stewart has had a spotty NFL career, eventually losing his starter's job in Pittsburgh to Tommy Maddox in 2002.

Stewart said he would be OK with backing up Bledsoe.

"It's not easy, but I think to get where you want to go, you have to take a step back sometimes," Stewart said. "I would think it would be a great one-two punch, and it's going to do nothing but make our team stronger if I wind up coming. ..."

In Atlanta. ... Seeking a blocking tight end to complement Pro Bowler Alge Crumpler, the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday signed veteran Hunter Goodwin.

Terms were not disclosed.

Goodwin was waived Monday by the Minnesota Vikings after starting 11 of 32 games over the last two seasons. He was used primarily as a blocker, catching eight passes for 46 yards and a touchdown.

A 1996 fourth-round pick of the Vikings, Goodwin spent three seasons as a backup before signing with the Miami Dolphins in 1999. Minnesota brought him back in April 2002.