Jan 12, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn before a NFC wild card playoff against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Commanders’ former breakout star may be cut or traded soon

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By David Harrison | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Washington Commanders faced a lot of public outcry to bolster the running game, with some calling for starting running back Brian Robinson Jr. to at least face significant competition this preseason.

Instead, the Commanders opted to return each of their four main backs from last season: Robinson, Austin Ekeler, Jeremy McNichols, and Chris Rodriguez Jr., and didn't add another back until the NFL Draft when they selected Jacory Croskey-Merritt in the third round.

This has led some to wonder if the rookie in Washington, even as a Day 3 pick, could challenge his veteran teammates for snaps this season, not unlike the way Robinson did when he took the starting job from Antonio Gibson in his own rookie season.

Speaking of Gibson, after two seasons backing up Robinson and one with the New England Patriots, he may be on the move again, according to CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin.

"The New England Patriots just spent an early second-round pick on Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson, and they're just a year removed from extending starter Rhamondre Stevenson on a $36 million deal. Gibson may well be the odd man out, despite his track record as a pass-catching option," Benjamin says in his post-June 1st roster move projections. "The Patriots, now led by Mike Vrabel, could save $2.3 million by trading Gibson after June 1 as opposed to $1.3 million prior, while a post-June 1 release would save the team an extra $1 million.

In his assessment, Benjamin believes Gibson could be traded to the Denver Broncos, though he doesn't go as far as to project the compensation the Patriots would receive in the deal.

Last year, Gibson totaled 744 yards of offense from scrimmage, 90 more than he had in his final season with the Commanders. However, he only scored one touchdown, giving him nine over the course of the last three seasons after scoring 10 or more in each of his first two.

Gibson was one of the surprises of the 2020 NFL Draft class after gaining over 1,000 yards of offense for Washington as a runner and receiver. He carried that momentum over to 2021 where he produced a career high 1,331 yards from scrimmage. In that same season, however, he fumbled six times.

That issue followed him into 2022 when the team drafted Robinson in the third round out of Alabama and following a preseason fumble that season the Commanders turned the primary duties over to the rookie until he was shot before the regular season began, costing him the first four games of his career.

If Gibson heads to the Broncos as projected, he'll join a room that now includes 2025 rookie RJ Harvey and veterans Audric Esteme and Jaleel McLaughlin, among others.