ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -After hearing all the trade rumors during training camp, T.J. Duckett was relieved when the Atlanta Falcons finally dealt him to the Washington Redskins.

Little did he know that life with the Redskins would turn into another long state of uncertainty.

``It's similar,'' Duckett said Thursday as he sat at his locker. ``But after going through what I went through there, it prepared me for this.''

Duckett's locker is the one closest to the exit, which is appropriate given how long it has taken for him to get a proverbial foot in the door with the Redskins. After spending most of the season watching from the sidelines, he has only recently started to play a regular role in the offense - just in time to show off when his old team, the Falcons, visit Washington on Sunday.

``I'm excited. I'm looking forward to it,'' Duckett said. ``At the same time, to me it's just another game. I'm excited to see a lot of friends I had. But at the end of the day, it's all about wins and losses.''

The Duckett trade has been a complex development on many levels. Rarely does a week go by in which coach Joe Gibbs is not asked about it directly or indirectly, creating a disproportionate amount of attention for a player who has only 19 carries through 11 games.

It started when the Falcons drafted Jerious Norwood in April, making Duckett expendable. When word got out that the back was on the trading block, the Redskins pounced for two reasons: They wanted insurance after Clinton Portis hurt his shoulder during training camp, and they didn't want Duckett going to a rival team in the NFC.

But the Falcons wanted a receiver in return, so a three-way deal was made with Denver. The Broncos sent Ashley Lelie to Atlanta, Duckett went to Washington, and the Redskins gave Denver the equivalent value of a 2007 third-round pick that will be sorted out once the season ends.

``It was difficult because I have great respect for T.J.,'' Atlanta coach Jim Mora said. ``But we had some needs that we really had to address, so we really had to make the move.''

All was fine except for one glaring fact: The Redskins already had backups for Portis. Ladell Betts and Rock Cartwright are solid backs, and fullback Mike Sellers can handle the short yardage runs in which Duckett has been known to excel.

As a result, Duckett couldn't get on the field, even when Portis was still recovering early in the season. He didn't have a carry in seven of the first eight games. Only in the last couple of weeks, after Portis was declared out for the season with a broken hand, has Duckett been given some occasional work to give Betts a breather.

Duckett had a season-high seven carries for 24 yards in last week's win over Carolina. Betts had 24 carries for 104 yards.

``I'm just about the positive,'' Duckett said. ``You can find something negative in anything you do, but it's not going to help the situation. It's not going to help me get more carries. It's not going to help the team by me complaining. I just continue down my own road.''

Complicating matters for Duckett is his contract status. He's due to be a free agent at the end of the season. The 2002 first-round draft pick ran for 2,175 yards and scored 31 touchdowns over four seasons with the Falcons, but he has only 90 yards rushing and no TDs this season.

Asked he's concerned that his market value will take a hit after a season spent mostly on the bench, Duckett replied: ``Definitely, that's inside of me. I want to go out and try to put myself in a great situation. At the same time, that's out my control.''

Duckett has handled his situation with aplomb. He hasn't griped once about playing time or questioned why the Redskins traded for him. It's not in his nature, and, besides, a complaining T.J. Duckett won't be worth as much as a good-guy T.J. Duckett when he's shopping for his next team.

``He is waiting his time and for his opportunity,'' said Atlanta running back Warrick Dunn, who remains good friends with Duckett. ``This is a guy who, when his back is against the wall, doesn't come out verbally. He just waits his time and is patient.''

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