By selecting Purdue's Travis Dorsch with their fourth-round pick Sunday afternoon, the Bengals acquired a placekicker who could replace Neil Rackers.

        “We're at a situation now where we need to move on and keep on trying,” special teams coach Al Roberts said.

WHO IS TRAVIS DORSCH?

More info about the Bengals' fourth-round pick at: • ESPN • NFL • USA Today

        Rackers didn't return phone messages left Sunday. But he was the topic of conversation of Day Two of the 2002 NFL Draft at the Bengals headquarters.

        The team also drafted strong safety Marquand Manuel of Florida (sixth round) and North Carolina defensive lineman Joey Evans, Jr (seventh).

        Rackers, who was drafted by the Bengals in 2000, has struggled to find consistency in Cincinnati.

        Last season was no exception. On Sept. 23, Rack ers missed all three field-goal attempts during the Bengals' 21-10 win against Baltimore.

        Against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 30, Rackers missed an extra point with 37 seconds remaining, but made a game-winning 31-yard field goal in overtime. Rackers ended the season the following week by making all three field goals against the Tennessee Titans.

        Apparently, it wasn't enough.

        "He didn't kick quite as well as we needed him to kick,” team president Mike Brown said. “He's got a record and he's got to run on it.”

        As the Bengals' sixth-round pick two years ago, Rackers beat out veteran Doug Pelfrey, who still is the franchise's second-leading scorer with 660 points.

        That year, he made 12 of 21 field goals. Last season, Rackers connected on 17 of 28 field goals, including four of nine from 40-49 yards.

        Rackers, 25, is in the last season of a three-year contract.

        "Everybody has an era,” Roberts said. “Neil Rackers had his for two years.”

Dorsch lets one rip against Michigan. (AP photo)

        Last season at Purdue, Dorsch made 22 of 27 field goals and 20 of 25 extra points. Dorsch's 48.4-yard punting average is a school career record.

        He earned all-Big Ten Conference honors as both a kicker and punter.

        Bengals head coach Dick LeBeau said Dorsch will not compete for the punting position. Dorsch said the Bengals were one of only two teams interested in utilizing him as a kicker.

        “The way I look at it, they've got a guy there in Neil Rackers who has a job,” said Dorsch. “I need to come in and compete ... and show the coaches they didn't make a mistake by picking me.”

        The Bengals, who didn't have a fifth-round pick after trading it to acquire Texas Christian University tight end Matt Schobel, will take two kickers to training camp.

        Roberts said he hasn't given up on Rackers. . But Roberts also said, “We'd like to think we have four starters with our first four draft picks.”

        Brown said the loose, sandy Paul Brown Stadium field didn't help Rackers.

        “But one way or another, we've got to do better,” Brown said. “If Rackers can't, we want somebody who might.”

        Mark Curnutte contributed.

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