Easy win in sight for Commanders with Brian Robinson Jr. rumors raging

There is fierce debate among the Washington Commanders fan base about whether or not the team is right to reportedly put running back Brian Robinson Jr. on the trade block. But there is an easy win staring the franchise in the face as rumors swirl.

It's been a more turbulent offseason than fans were anticipating. The Commanders are trying to navigate some concerns with cut-down day and Week 1 against the New York Giants on the immediate horizon. None more so than the ongoing contract standoff with wide receiver Terry McLaurin.

The rumors raging around Robinson's future have provided some distraction from McLaurin's saga, but it is easily the most important remaining conundrum the Commanders must solve in the coming weeks.

Commanders are gearing up for Terry McLaurin's practice return, and that's huge

McLaurin is now officially active after coming off the physically unable to perform list. That doesn't mean the former third-round pick is any closer to finding some middle ground with the Commanders, but it does mean that he is ready to prepare his body for the team's upcoming challenges in the regular season.

Getting McLaurin back — regardless of whether he has an extension or not — is the morale boost everyone connected with the Commanders needs. He's their inspirational leader, a beacon of consistency and hope throughout some extremely dark days for the organization. That hasn't changed because of this.

The sooner McLaurin gets back among his teammates, the better Washington's chances will be. It's a massive win as tensions threatened to boil over. Though this move didn't come with the contract agreement fans were hoping for, it's a sign that negotiations are continuing. Just how long it takes to reach a compromise is another matter.

Washington needs McLaurin. The dynamic shifts (and not for the better) when he's not on the field. Other wideouts haven't flourished in his absence, which brought into question the lack of legitimate depth without the Ohio State product and Noah Brown taking up attention on the outside.

Adam Peters wants a deal that protects the Commanders. They aren't there yet, but confidence will surge once McLaurin gets back onto the practice field.

As for Robinson? That situation is less clear.

Nothing has been confirmed by the Commanders regarding his status. At the same time, not playing him against the Bengals spoke volumes. And there must be supreme confidence in seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt to even entertain the notion of removing the incumbent starter from the equation.

Time will tell on both fronts. But McLaurin is the priority; make no mistake about that.

More Commanders news and analysis