Commanders solve one major headache after stunning Brian Robinson Jr. trade

The Washington Commanders made their stance on Brian Robinson Jr. abundantly clear over the last week. And now, general manager Adam Peters managed to find someone to take the running back off his hands.

And perhaps unsurprisingly, it was his old employers who came calling with the best offer.

Robinson was quickly cast out by the Commanders once those in power deemed him unsuitable for their project moving forward. Rumors of a trade surfaced initially. Washington all but confirmed these reports by excusing the third-round pick from the Monday Night Football preseason game and practices. There was even speculation about his locker already being empty.

This is a sad end for Robinson. But at least the backfield threat knows where his next adventure will begin.

Commanders got a sixth-round pick from the 49ers for Brian Robinson Jr.

According to Adam Schefter from ESPN, the Commanders struck a deal with the San Francisco 49ers for Robinson. The compensation wasn't ever going to be much when everyone knew he'd be released, so the 2026 sixth-round pick is better than nothing.

Robinson will now get the chance to contribute immediately on the Niners, who need more at the running back position. They lack a physical threat capable of taking the heat off Christian McCaffrey in between the tackles. That's only going to help head coach Kyle Shanahan in pursuit of getting over the hump.

As for the Commanders? They have utmost confidence in the other options available. It'll probably be a committee approach, but there is much more explosive play potential with Robinson out of the picture.

Austin Ekeler will be the experienced dual-threat weapon. Seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt took the Commanders by storm this summer and looks capable of immediate involvement. Dan Quinn revealed that Chris Rodriguez Jr. will take over in short-yardage situations and possibly more. Jeremy McNichols is a dependable backup and special-teams ace if he makes the roster.

This is the second time Peters has struck a trade deal with the team he left behind for Washington. He sent a fifth-rounder to San Francisco for wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. He now gets a Day 3 selection back after deeming Robinson surplus to requirements.

Robinson never has a future in Washington beyond 2025. Peters decided to cash in now and get a genuine evaluation of the young guys. But as far as landing spots go, the Alabama product could have done a lot worse.

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