Commanders’ young RBs just made Brian Robinson Jr. expendable vs. Bengals

The Washington Commanders elected to keep Brian Robinson Jr. out of Monday's preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals, giving NFL fans reason to believe a trade will come to fruition sooner rather than later. The decision to move on from Robinson is a bit of a curious one, as he was the team's starting running back last season when they went all the way to the NFC Championship Game. After watching how Washington's young running backs played on Monday, though, this stance makes more sense.

Robinson and veteran Austin Ekeler did not play, allowing youngsters Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Jacory "Bill" Croskey-Merritt to touch the ball a lot. It's safe to say both of these players took advantage of the increased opportunities they got and continued to make a positive impression on Washington's front office.

With that in mind, trading Robinson away feels like an easy decision.

Commanders' young RBs make decision to part with Brian Robinson Jr. no-brainer

Rodriguez only touched the ball six times on Monday, but ran for 62 yards, highlighted by this monster 40-yard gain.

Croskey-Merritt had 11 rushes for 46 yards including this 27-yard run to the end zone. He's impressed throughout training camp and the preseason, and he added another highlight to his growing reel.

Sure, the Cincinnati Bengals' defense is an unmitigated disaster, and it's only the preseason, but talent is easy to spot. Both Rodriguez and Croskey-Merritt have tons of it.

Rodriguez hasn't gotten to touch the ball too much in the regular season since being drafted in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by Washington, but on his 86 rushing attempts, he's rushed for 420 yards, averaging 4.9 yards per carry in 22 games. Croskey-Merritt hasn't played a regular season game yet, but he's looked awfully impressive for a 2025 seventh-round pick.

It continues to look like both of these backs have a good amount of upside, and if head coach Dan Quinn isn't ready to trust them quite yet, there's still a veteran, Ekeler, who is still more than capable.

Austin Ekeler gives the Commanders veteran insurance they need

Ekeler might be 30 years old, but he averged 4.8 yards per carry in his 77 rushing attempts last season, his highest average since 2018. He also remained a high-end receiving back, as he recorded 35 receptions for 366 yards in the air in just 12 games. Ekeler wasn't a bell cow, but he impressed whenever he was asked to do anything on the ground or in the air.

Rodriguez and Croskey-Merritt look like the real deal, but it makes sense if the Commanders aren't fully confident handing the keys to a pair of young backs who have barely played in the NFL. Having Ekeler around to take a lot of pressure off the young backs makes the decision to trade Robinson that much easier.