With another miserable showing by Washington's offense, there will be changes. Coach Jim Zorn has agreed to relinquish the play calling, sources close to the club said Sunday night. Zorn met with the team's vice president of football operations, Vinny Cerrato, shortly after Sunday's loss to Kansas City and agreed to Cerrato's request to give up the play calling.

Cerrato proposed the idea, it was said, to take some of the load off Zorn's shoulders. Cerrato two weeks ago proposed adding offensive consultant Sherman Lewis to help Zorn get the club out of its offensive funk, and Zorn agreed to that idea. But Lewis' addition has changed little. The question, of course, is who will replace Zorn? That will be decided at a Monday morning meeting between Zorn and Cerrato, it was said. Zorn will make the announcement later Monday.  

The idea to hire Sherman Lewis as an offensive consultant in Washington belongs to Vinny Cerrato, the Redskins' executive vice president of football operations, but make no mistake: Coach Jim Zorn is on board with it.

Cerrato approached Zorn on Monday after the team struggled to beat Tampa Bay and when he made his suggestion Zorn said he would have no problem. "Of course," Cerrato said, "it has to be the right guy. And Sherman fit all of the qualifications."

Lewis worked for coach Mike Holmgren as Zorn worked for him. Lewis knows Holmgren's offense and what is and is not supposed to do. So hiring him, Cerrato said, was "to get a fresh set of eyes here to help the offensive coaches."

The move is similar to one San Francisco made in 1996 when Cerrato was the team's director of player personnel. The 49ers hired former coach Bill Walsh to serve as a consultant for offensive coordinator Marc Trestman, then in his second season with the club. Walsh would sit with Trestman during games and make suggestions, and the plan had mixed results: The 49ers reached the playoffs, where they won a game, but they bowed out in the divisional round to Green Bay. Carolina, then in its second year, won the NFC West.

Lewis is expected to join the team shortly and to act "as one of the offensive assistants," said Cerrato. Washington has struggled to put up points, never scoring more than 17 points in any game, and that was the season-opening loss to the New York Giants.

I'm not a big DeAngelo Hall fan, but Washington's move to acquire the cornerback is a can't-lose proposition.

First of all, the Redskins aren't paying a whole lot for him. In fact, they're on the hook for $490,000 the rest of the year. Second, it's a one-year deal, so if he doesn't work out or they don't like him they can just not let him walk when the season's over. Third, and most important, they have veteran leadership in the locker room to keep him in line.

Guys like London Fletcher, Jason Taylor and Andre Carter will make sure Hall doesn't become a negative influence, dragging down on a team already exceeding expectations. And if they don't ... or if Hall acts up ...then just cut the guy and move on.

There are few risks here.

Look, Washington liked Hall so much when the Falcons were dangling him after last season they were willing to trade a draft pick for him. And that was after coaches sat down with him.

Now, they get him for nothing.

I didn't like Hall's attitude a year ago when he was in Atlanta, particularly during and after the Michael Vick scandal. When he ran on to the field with a Vick poster during a Monday night game, then had "MV7" written on the shade under both eyes, two things crossed my mind: 1) Then-coach Bobby Petrino had lost control of his team, and 2) DeAngelo Hall was out of control.

So the Falcons got rid of him, and he went to Oakland, where he stunk. Fine. The guy hit rock-bottom. Maybe there's a part of him that wants to become the cornerback he once was, someone who could make a secondary better. You can only hope.

The Redskins are in a division with Tony Romo, Donovan McNabb and Eli Manning, so you better be deep in defensive backs. With Hall's acquisition they have what they consider to be four starting cornerbacks, and that isn't just good; it's how you build sound pass defenses ... provided, of course, the Redskins are right.

One other thing: New England wanted Hall badly, according to insiders, with coach Bill Belichick urging him to sign with the Patriots. Pittsburgh and New Orleans were the two others most interested, sources said, but when it came down to making a decision Hall went where he felt most comfortable -- which was home.

My point is: When the Patriots or Steelers are interested in someone there's a reason, and the reason is they believe he can help. So why can't DeAngelo Hall help Washington? He can.