Zorn: “Randle El is our punt returner”

Sometimes I will then again I think I won’t
Sometimes I will then again I think I won’t
Sometimes I do then again I think I don’t
–Chuck Berry

When it comes to selecting a punt returner, Jim Zorn is making Bret Favre look like the master of decisive behavior.

Tuesday, as was covered here, Zorn indicated that DeAngelo Hall would displace Antwaan Randle El as the Redskins’ primary punt returner. While he did not make a definitive statement, the Washington Post quoted him as saying:

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).

Since Randle El has been returning the lion’s share of the punts and Hall none (he did line up to take one against the Eagles but there was not a return opportunity) the logical assumption from saying that the involvement would be “flipped” was that Hall would take most of the punts and that Randle El would take virtually none.

This was all well and good until reporters asked Randle El how he felt about having the return role taken away. As it turns out, it was the first that Randle El had heard of it.

At first it was thought that there had been a miscommunication, that Zorn had not had a chance to tell Randle El about the situation.

But then Zorn had this to say after Wednesday’s practice:

Nothing is different. All three guys returned punts last week. I guess Antwaan got asked a couple of questions and he came into my office to talk about it. I said that there really wasn’t anything to talk about. Nothing has changed.

(Hall) will be involved. And if he’s involved more it’ll be one or two reps. It’s not necessarily a change, just an addition to get him more involved.

Antwaan Randle El is our punt returner. You’re going to see Santana Moss, as you have, and you’re going to see Hall.

I was asked that on every single (media appearance) I did yesterday. I did four or five interviews yesterday and that was the number one question. There’s not as much to it as whatever has been reported. I never made any official statement and that is why even Antwaan would respond the way he did today. He had no idea either.

Will Randle El field the first punt on Sunday?

Yes.

For his part, Hall really doesn’t want Randle El’s job. When asked if he wanted to be the primary punt returner Hall said:

I don’t want to do it full time. That’s a pretty dangerous position back there. But, like I said, I’ll do whatever the team needs. If they want me to go back there to give them a spark, I’ll do that. If they want me to go out there and block, I’ll do that, too.

Earlier, Santana Moss had said that while he was happy to field a punt or two a game he had no interest in returning punts on a full-time basis either.

It would appear that Randle El is the only one interested in returning punts.

Somebody pointed out today that the identity of the primary punt returner on a 2-5 team is of little significance in the grand scheme of things. That’s true, in and of itself. But when it comes from a coach who is under heavy fire because it often appears that he’s in over his head, it takes on considerably more meaning.