By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Bengals kicker Neil Rackers made a free agent visit to Seattle on Tuesday.

Rackers, who is unsigned as a restricted free agent, was 15-of-18 on field goal attempts last season. The Bengals have rights to match any offer Rackers would receive as a restricted free agent.

"It was a good visit," said Rob Roche, Rackers' New Jersey-based agent.

Asked if Rackers would get an offer from the Seahawks, Roche said he would know more within 48 hours.

Rackers has made 23 of his last 28 field goal attempts despite playing home games at Paul Brown Stadium, which is widely considered to have one of the NFL's worst playing fields. He made eight of 10 field goal attempts to close out 2001.

Rackers led the Bengals with 75 points in 2002.

WELCOME: A Bengals spokesman confirmed the visit of former Marshall quarterback Byron Leftwich on Tuesday.

Leftwich is one of four players the Bengals are considering taking with the No. 1 overall pick in the April 26-27 draft.

The others are quarterback Carson Palmer (Southern Cal), cornerback Terence Newman (Kansas State) and wide receiver Charles Rogers (Michigan State).

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, who did not return a phone call Tuesday seeking comment on Leftwich's visit, has said the Bengals want to make their decision on the first pick by the weekend and spend the next two weeks trying to sign him to a contract in advance of the draft.

Thomas Condon, Leftwich's agent, did not return repeated phone calls the last two days.

The Bengals will entertain Palmer, Newman and Rogers this week.

CENTER OF ATTENTION: The Bengals remain interested in former Oakland and Tennessee center Gennaro DiNapoli.

Indianapolis also has expressed interest in him.

DiNapoli, 27, started all 18 of the Titans' regular-season and playoff games in 2002 but was released in Tennessee's roster reshuffling. At 6 feet 3, 287 pounds, DiNapoli can play center or guard. He was a fourth-round 1998 draft pick by Oakland from Virginia Tech.

Rich Braham, 32, the Bengals' incumbent starting center, is an unrestricted free agent, though Cincinnati holds first-refusal rights. The top backup is Brock Gutierrez.

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E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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