Kliff Kingsbury Speaking Highly of Commanders RB

Fans of the Washington Commanders have every reason to be optimistic about the immediate and long-term future of their franchise. Their explosive offense lead by star rookie Jayden Daniels already gained valuable playoff experience and added reinforcements this offseason with hopes of an even deeper run.

Washington strengthened their arsenal with the addition of veteran receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. and reliable left tackle Laremy Tunsil. 

Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, typically known for flashy aerial-attack schemes, orchestrated one of the best run games in football last season. The group finished third in the league in rushing yards and fifth in yards per attempt.

A running QB like Daniels helped in these totals tremendously, but running back Brian Robinson Jr. put still together a decent season. His performances so far this offseason also offer Kingsbury a lot to be excited about.

"Yeah, he's been really focused," Kingsbury said via the team website. "The biggest thing that came out of last year I think was that any of the guys that we asked to go in and play, played at a really high level."

Kingsbury later called the offense a "pretty loaded group", which explains why the Commanders largely avoided messing with the running backs around Robinson.

They drafted a ball carrier in Jacory Crosket-Merritt in the seventh round of the NFL Draft and bring back Austin Ekeler, Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. from last year's team.

Robinson in particular could be on the cusp of a breakthrough as he enters a pivotal 2025 season.

"B-Rob's a guy who has played an incredibly high level. I thought early in the year when he was really healthy, he was what we expect him to be, and the focus this offseason has been great," Kingsbury said. "He knows what this year means to him and can mean to us when he plays at that level."

The former third-round pick in 2022 set career highs in rushing yards (799), rushing touchdowns (8) and yards per carry (4.3). He was not as lethal in the pass game as he was in 2023, but a new rush-minded quarterback may have played a factor there.

As Kingsbury alluded to, Robinson also missed a bit of time due to injury, but still finished 14 games played, 13 of which being starts.

Robinson, 26, is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Another impactful season in the nation's capital could strengthen his chances at earning a new contract to remain Washington's lead back for years to come.