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Dan Quinn confirms what Commanders fans already knew about Brian Robinson Jr.
Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn Billie Weiss/GettyImages

Adam Peters' aggressive roster strategy came to the fore once again with the rapid demotion of Brian Robinson Jr. Now, head coach Dan Quinn has confirmed what Washington Commanders fans already knew about the running back's predicament.

The end is near. And something is going to get resolved sooner rather than later.

Robinson was projected to be the Commanders' lead backfield option in 2025. He received glowing praise from offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury for his renewed focus. Peters stated his belief that bigger things could be in the offing after some substantial investments along the offensive line. That won't come to fruition.

Commanders are moving forward without Brian Robinson Jr. this season

The former third-round pick was the subject of trade rumors. Reports surfaced about the Commanders shopping Robinson to gauge interest around the league. Then, a mutual decision was made to keep him out of Washington's preseason contest versus the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football.

All eyes were on Wednesday's practice to see if Robinson would be involved. Quinn made another emphatic stance, revealing that the Alabama product had been excused from practice, and an end to this latest saga will be confirmed in the not-too-distant future.

Any slim hope the Robinson loyalists among the fan base had of him getting a late reprieve is over. The Commanders have decided he's not part of their short or long-term plans. They are encouraged enough in other options, which include seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt and the resurgent Chris Rodriguez Jr. Instead of waiting, Peters is looking to get back something in return rather than letting this drag out.

Robinson is now readying himself for a fresh challenge. There is always a market for more physical running backs around the league. Whether someone is willing to take on his more than $3.4 million in base salary remains to be seen, but the Commanders will end up releasing him if no willing suitor comes forward.

Either way, Robinson has played his last snap in Washington. It's another Ron Rivera draft pick who failed to see out their rookie deal. But the lack of explosive plays ended up being his undoing.

It's a gamble, especially considering how unproven Rodriguez and Croskey-Merritt are in a competitive NFL environment. Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols provide the veteran experience, so this loss might not be as sorely felt as some believe.

Robinson gave everything to the cause, overcoming early adversity to become an important figure and a decent contributor. Unfortunately, decent is just not good enough under Peters.

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This article first appeared on Riggo's Rag and was syndicated with permission.

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