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Zorn reverses field on punt returners

Coach Jim Zorn clarified the Redskins' punt-return situation Wednesday, saying after practice at Redskins Park that "nothing has changed" and that Antwaan Randle El would remain the primary returner.

"Antwaan, I guess he got asked a couple of questions, and he came into my office to talk about it," Zorn said, reversing field a bit on comments he'd made Monday and Tuesday. "I said, 'Well, there's really nothing to talk about. Nothing has changed.' That's how I would bill it. There's no difference."

In an interview Monday, Zorn said the team planned to expand cornerback DeAngelo Hall's role as a punt returner, using him more than Randle El -- the primary returner the past four seasons -- while continuing to occasionally turn to top wide receiver Santana Moss in a change-of-pace role. Zorn said Hall "probably" would handle the first punt return Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome.

"One of the things that's going to happen is we're going to get another guy involved in punt returning and that's going to be DeAngelo," Zorn said Monday. "We're going to try to get him more and more reps. I've been trying to get Santana at least a couple of punt returns a game and I'm going to continue that. You're still going to see Antwaan out there but it'll be a little more flipped as far as the involvement. You're going to see more and more" of Hall.

During his radio Tuesday show on ESPN 980, Zorn acknowledged "the situation has changed." Zorn reiterated that he intends to use Hall, Moss and Randle El, and if Randle El "was purely a punt returner who has had production, he'd probably continue on. . . .

"Not totally his problem, but with some of the production problems that we've had there, I'm starting to interject with other guys."

But Zorn on Wednesday only committed to Hall being "involved. And if he's involved more, it'll be one or two reps. But it's not necessarily a change. It's just an addition to get him more involved. He was last week. Antwaan Randle El is our punt returner. You're going to see Santana Moss, which you have, and you're going to see DeAngelo Hall, who you saw last game, and we'll see what happens."

On his radio show Tuesday, Zorn said he wasn't certain who'd return the first punt Sunday against the Falcons. Asked the same question after practice on Wednesday, Zorn said Randle El would.

Asked to explain his comments about Randle El on his radio show, Zorn said he never made an official statement regarding the situation. "Remember, I was asked that on every single thing I did yesterday," Zorn said. "I did four or five interviews yesterday. That was the No. 1 question. And I guess what I'm doing is saying there's not as much to it as whatever's been reported."

Cooley follow-up Monday

Redskins tight end Chris Cooley has a follow-up appointment to evaluate the broken bone in his right ankle on Monday, an appointment that could help determine exactly how much time he'll miss.

Cooley, who broke the bone in the Oct. 26 loss to Philadelphia, will miss the first game of his six-year career Sunday in Atlanta. He said he will travel with the Redskins, but he couldn't completely rule out missing the rest of the season.

"I'm hopeful that I can come back and play," Cooley said. "I still had an inch break in my ankle and it has three screws in it right now, so I'm not really getting around so well. So we'll see what happens.

"As far as the best case goes, I have a doctor's appointment on Monday, and we can re-evaluate how it's healed over the first 10 days and see how everything looks and how I feel and they can kind of tell me. Right now, it's still really sore. I really can't move it or set it down.."

-- Jason Reid and Barry Svrluga