Brian Robinson Jr. trade grades: San Francisco gets much-needed depth behind Christian McCaffrey
Washington dealt Robinson to the Niners for a 2026 sixth-round pick
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3 min read
With the preseason coming to a close this weekend, front offices are tasked with trimming down their bloated 90-man summer rosters into an opening 53-man unit to begin the regular season. While most transactions will simply come in the form of a release, this is also a period of wheeling and dealing, as some players who are on the outside looking in on a roster spot with their current team hold trade value across the NFL. That's precisely what has gone down with the Washington Commanders and running back Brian Robinson Jr., who was just dealt to the San Francisco 49ers.
The veteran back is entering the final year of his rookie contract and had been the subject of trade rumors this summer, and even sat out of Washington's Week 2 preseason exhibition as those talks developed. The Commanders have since found a buyer and have shipped Robinson to the Bay Area in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick.
Robinson entered the NFL as a third-round draft choice of the Commanders after playing his college ball at Alabama. His rookie season was derailed out of the gate after being shot in the knee during an armed robbery in Washington, D.C. back in 2022. However, Robinson managed to make his NFL debut in Week 5 of that year and was a solid piece to Washington's rushing attack. His best season in the league came during his sophomore campaign when he averaged 5.1 yards per touch and 1,101 yards from scrimmage to go along with nine total touchdowns. Last year, he rushed for a career-high 799 yards and eight touchdowns, while adding 159 yards receiving on 20 receptions.
With this deal now executed, let's hand out some grades!
Washington Commanders grade: C
Acquired: 2026 sixth-round pick
Given that Robinson is in the final year of his rookie deal and will be a free agent next offseason, the return was never going to be fantastical. That said, it feels like Washington could've received a higher Day 3 pick (a fifth?) in return. Robinson's 4.3 yards per carry average last year (in 14 games played) was a career-high, and while his production did dip once the Commanders reached the playoffs (3.6 yards per carry), he did have his moments. His best performance came in the divisional round upset over Detroit, where he rushed for 77 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. Again, that wasn't going to propel his trade value through the roof, but it's a rather subdued return for a player who started 40 games over the last three years (including playoffs).
Really, this move may be more about paving the way for rookie standout Jacory Croskey-Merritt (and Austin Ekeler to a degree) than the compensation.
San Francisco 49ers grade: A
Acquired: Brian Robinson Jr.
You might look at the 49ers backfield, see Christian McCaffrey sitting atop the depth chart and enjoying -- by all reports --- an outstanding summer, and scratch your head at this move. Do the Niners really need another back of Robinson's caliber? Yes, they do!
While McCaffrey is a prime bounce-back candidate after Achilles and knee injuries limited him to four games last season, it's no guarantee he stays healthy for a full 17 games. That injury-filled season in 2024 came after he led the NFL in touches back in 2023. The only other time McCaffrey led the NFL in touches (2019), he was limited to a total of 10 games over the next two seasons.
| Season | Touches | Games played |
|---|---|---|
2019 | 403 (led the NFL) | 16 |
2020 | 76 | 3 |
2021 | 136 | 7 |
2023 | 339 (led the NFL) | 16 |
| 2024 | 65 | 4 |
| 2025 | ??? | ??? |
Of course, each injury situation is different and don't exactly correlate but this does show how a heavy workload one year can bleed into others down the line. For the 49ers, gaining insurance in the event that McCaffrey (who turned 29 this summer, endures more injuries with someone with starting experience like Robinson is just good business, particularly at this price.
This is on top of fellow 49ers backs like Isaac Guerendo, Jordan James, and others have been dinged up this preseason as well, further thinning out the position group. And it's also not mentioning that San Francisco did trade away top backup Jordan Mason to the Minnesota Vikings earlier this offseason, so Robinson should be looked at as a much-needed depth addition.
