BY RICH CAMPBELL

ASHBURN

"Nothing has changed," Zorn said yesterday. "That's how I would bill it. There's no difference."

Confusion about the division of playing time began earlier this week after a pair of conflicting reports that cited anonymous sources. One report said the Redskins were replacing Randle El with Hall as their top return man. A later report refuted the change.

Zorn tried to clear up the matter yesterday.

"[Hall] is going to be involved, and if he's involved more, it would be one or two reps," Zorn said. "It's not necessarily a change. It's an addition to get him more involved. 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 against Philadelphia]. And we'll see what happens."

The confusion became problematic yesterday after Randle El was caught off-guard by reporters. He seemed a bit rattled when questioned about a reduced punt-returning role. He later approached Zorn in his office and asked for an explanation, Zorn said.

Randle El has averaged 5.2 yards on 11 returns this season. Of the 27 players in the NFL with at least 10 returns, his average ranks 22nd. His 11 fair catches are tied for second-most in the league.

"The productivity hasn't been there," Randle El said. "But I would look at, it's not as if there have been wide-open lanes or anything, where I can just kind of go. It's not that I'm missing a bunch--or any--in terms of lanes to run through."

Zorn said that Randle El will return the first punt in Sunday's road game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Hall and Moss, meanwhile, both said they are willing to help out but have no interest in becoming the full-time returner.

"That's a pretty dangerous position back there," Hall said. "If he needs me to go back there to give him a spark, I'll do that."