Grading Commanders' trade of Brian Robinson Jr. to 49ers

The Washington Commanders traded former starting running back Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers on Friday. While some around the team weren't shocked that Robinson would not be on Washington's 53-man roster next week, no one could have foreseen the past week.

Last weekend, reports circulated that the Commanders were making Robinson available to other teams. The 2022 third-round pick had started 37 games for Washington over the past three seasons and was expected to be its lead back again in 2025. However, rookie seventh-round pick Jacory Croskey-Merritt and the emergence of third-year back Chris Rodriguez Jr. changed things. Head coach Dan Quinn essentially confirmed earlier in the week that Robinson had played his last down for the Commanders.

Croskey-Merritt, Rodriguez, Austin Ekeler, and Jeremy McNichols are backs that the coaching staff all love. It's not that they didn't like Robinson. He's a tough runner who should excel with the 49ers if given the opportunity. However, Ekeler was always making the roster as Washington's third-down/pass-catching back, and McNichols can do a little bit of everything. Rodriguez should replace Robinson in short-yardage and goal-line situations, while it will be interesting to see how offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury integrates Croskey-Merritt.

Robinson gave Washington all he had for three-plus seasons. The former third-round pick rushed for 2,300 yards and scored 20 total touchdowns. He didn't do anything wrong and was well-liked. The Commanders believe the four backs can offer more versatility, while the combination of Rodriguez and Croskey-Merritt will cost less than Robinson.

Let's grade the Robinson trade. First, we'll share how Commanders Wire grades the trade, followed by others.

Commanders Wire: A-

When it became known that the Commanders were shopping Robinson, it was a surprise that GM Adam Peters could get anything for him. However, there was demand for Robinson. He is a good player. He wasn't a great fit for Kingsbury's offense, but could thrive playing for Kyle Shanahan. It was a good trade for Robinson, too. Washington's depth at running back is impressive, even if others around the NFL don't realize it. Rodriguez has always been a good player, but reshaped his body this offseason, adding more speed to go along with his power and vision. Croskey-Merritt has a high upside, while Washington can plug McNichols in anywhere and he'll thrive. Then you have Ekeler, the NFL's best pass-catching back. It's a good backfield and, barring injury, the Commanders should be just fine without Robinson. Kudos to Peters for landing a 2026 pick, as Washington only had five before the trade.

ESPN: B

Seth Walder of ESPN:

Once the trade rumors swirled to the point that Robinson did not play in the Commanders' preseason game on Monday night, it seemed a deal was only a matter of time. The Commanders seemingly deemed him expendable after the emergence of Chris Rodriguez Jr. and rookie seventh-round pick Jacory Croskey-Merritt this summer.

Robinson, a third-round pick in 2022, has amassed between 733 and 799 rushing yards in each of his three seasons in Washington. He has also consistently gotten what's blocked for him but not much more: He has recorded either 0.1 or 0.2 rush yards over expectation in each of his three seasons, per NFL Next Gen Stats. It's possible that veteran Jeremy McNichols could get some of the goal-line work.

CBS: C

Tyler Sullivan of CBS:

Given that Robinson is in the final year of his rookie deal and will be a free agent next offseason, the return was never going to be fantastical. That said, it feels like Washington could've received a higher Day 3 pick (a fifth?) in return. Robinson's 4.3 yards per carry average last year (in 14 games played) was a career-high, and while his production did dip once the Commanders reached the playoffs (3.6 yards per carry), he did have his moments. His best performance came in the divisional round upset over Detroit, where he rushed for 77 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. Again, that wasn't going to propel his trade value through the roof, but it's a rather subdued return for a player who started 40 games over the last three years (including playoffs). 

Essentially, Washington got value for a player it wasn't going to keep. That's a win for Adam Peters.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders' grade after trading Brian Robinson Jr. to 49ers