Commanders trade Brian Robinson to 49ers: Reinforcement for San Francisco

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Commanders Trade Brian Robinson to the 49ers

The Washington Commanders have decided to trade running back Brian Robinson to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2026 draft. The news was confirmed after a series of speculations about the player’s future with the team. The decision not to play Robinson in last Monday’s preseason game against Cincinnati was a clear sign of the end of his time with the Commanders. The team intended to release him if they couldn’t find a team interested in a trade. The Washington team had been looking for a trade for Robinson since the beginning of the month, partly due to the depth that, according to the coaches, they have at the running back position. This move will allow the Commanders to save $3.3 million in salary cap space. For their part, the 49ers add Robinson, adding valuable depth to a position that has been affected by injuries. San Francisco has had significant absences, such as rookie Jordan James for most of the camp, and the injury of Patrick Taylor Jr., who was placed on the injured reserve list for a shoulder injury. In addition, Isaac Guerendo recently returned from a shoulder injury. Although Christian McCaffrey has performed well in camp, Robinson could bring an element of strength that might be missing in the Niners’ backfield. Commanders coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury highlighted the improvement in the depth of their running back group this summer, suggesting the possibility of a split with Robinson. The team’s strategy became clear when Robinson didn’t participate in the preseason game against Cincinnati. The Commanders could opt for a “running back by committee” approach. The main running backs on Monday were Chris Rodriguez and rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who made significant gains against the starting defense. Rodriguez ran 40 yards on one play, and Croskey-Merritt scored from 27 yards to close out the second series. In total, they combined for 17 carries and 108 yards. The Commanders also have veteran Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols.

Entering training camp, we really thought this was a deep group. There would be real competition. We knew this was one of our strengths entering training camp.

Dan Quinn
Robinson’s NFL career began under difficult circumstances. The running back, selected in the third round of the 2022 draft, was the victim of an attempted robbery on August 28, 2022, in Washington, D.C. Despite undergoing knee surgery due to the incident, he returned to play 12 games, accumulating 797 yards and two touchdowns. Since being drafted by the Commanders, Robinson has rushed for 2,329 yards in 41 games. Last season, he achieved a career-best with 799 yards and eight touchdowns. Throughout his career, Robinson has averaged 4.1 yards per carry, ranking 40th among running backs since entering the league. He was number 29 in yards after first contact, and his percentage of 10-yard runs (9.8) was 86th. However, he ranked 17th in yards per game (56.8).
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