This came as a big surprise on Sunday. The Washington Commanders have reportedly made their starting running back, Brian Robinson Jr., available via trade. Despite Washington coming off its best season in ages, new-ish general manager Adam Peters seems to be making it more about himself than the team this offseason. (He seems to have learned that from his mentor in one John Lynch.)
While I understand that Washington likes its depth behind Robinson, namely veteran Austin Ekeler and seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt, I cannot say putting Robinson on the trade block makes the Commanders a better team. Robinson is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and despite being incredibly productive, Washington seems to be more than willing to hear offers for its starting running back rather than working out an extension. Keep in mind that Peters only came over from San Francisco two years ago, meaning he was not part of the front office who drafted him. Either way, I think Robinson could thrive playing for another team.
In his first three years in the league, Robinson has over 2,300 rushing yards and 20 total touchdowns.
Sources: The #Commanders have been shopping RB Brian Robinson Jr. to teams around the NFL.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 17, 2025
The former 3rd-round pick out of Alabama is entering the final year of his contract. pic.twitter.com/WKB21BVBZp
If only three teams were in the mix to potentially trade for Robinson, here is who could make the call.
3. Dallas Cowboys
I will never be a fan of trading a starting-level player in-division in the NFL. However, I do think a team like the Dallas Cowboys could be in on Robinson this late into the preseason, mostly out of complete desperation. This may only be Brian Schottenheimer's first year as their head coach, but it could be his only year in that role if Dallas wins fewer than seven games. Do they have enough running backs?
To be quite frank, the combination of Miles Sanders and Javonte Williams really does nothing for me. At least by adding Robinson into the mix, you would not only make a division rival worse but quite possibly your own team better. For Jerry Jones reasons, I do not see a trade between the Cowboys and the Commanders manifesting, but if this were any other franchise, I could see it come to fruition.
Adding a player like Robinson could be the difference between Dallas making the postseason or not.
2. Houston Texans
I am not as high on the Houston Texans this year as I probably should be. For some reason, I feel they have missed their window to really take advantage of the rest of the AFC South being down. Although I have no faith in Indianapolis going forward, it would not shock me if either Jacksonville or Tennessee challenges them for the division, possibly even winning it in the end. So what is Houston to do here?
Well, they do have two big names on their roster in the running back room in veterans Nick Chubb and Joe Mixon. But neither have a clean bill of health coming into this season. Since this offense will be predicated on the passing game behind emerging star quarterback C.J. Stroud, why leave any of that to chance? A one-dimensional offense could be what causes the Texans to fall out of the playoff race.
The fact that Peters and head coach DeMeco Ryans both have San Francisco ties could make this trade go.
1. San Francisco 49ers
The most likely candidate to trade for Robinson at this point in time has to be Peters' former employer in the San Francisco 49ers. We know that head coach Kyle Shanahan loves to run the football. We also know that Peters is well acquainted with 49ers general manager John Lynch, having worked for him in the front office. But there are two other things at play that leads me to believe a trade might work.
The first would be that I do not trust Christian McCaffrey to stay healthy as he approaches his 30s. When he is out there, he is fantastic, but he has missed the better part of three NFL seasons already out of Stanford. My other reason is the NFC West could be a total bloodbath. I see no more than two games separating first place from fourth at season's end. San Francisco cannot finish in last again.
They play in the NFC, but for so many reasons, the 49ers are the ideal trade partner for Washington.