Brian Robinson Jr. trade sent a clear message to Commanders roster

With preseason winding down and the regular season approaching, the Washington Commanders—like every NFL team—face tough decisions. Either through trades or cuts, the front office must determine who makes the 53-man roster. That process has already begun.

The Commanders wasted no time, making a surprising move before their final preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens by trading four-year running back Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a sixth-round pick. The move was surprising, but also the first of many difficult calls expected in the coming days.

A Culture of Competition

For head coach Dan Quinn, those choices all tie back to one principle: competition. “We knew that, like I said, just honestly, just the competition of it all,” Quinn explained. That competition carried over to the running back room. While Robinson’s departure might suggest another player stepped up, Quinn clarified that wasn’t the sole factor.

Aug 8, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn reacts during the first half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images | Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

“I don't know if emerging, but we were pretty confident going into the camp what we'd see and how we'd go. And so, when the opportunity with [General Manager] Adam [Peters] and team to go that way, that seemed to make the most sense and from a fit and the whole thing forward, so it made sense,” Quinn said.

The Emerging Rookie

Although Quinn suggests that no other player is emerging, one name is starting to rise above the others. The rise of rookie draft pick Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who has been one of the Commanders’ most promising players in training camp. In his preseason debut, Merritt logged 24 yards on seven carries and added one reception for eight yards. He followed that in his second preseason game, rushing for 46 yards on 11 carries. His second carry went for a 27-yard touchdown that gave Washington a 14-7 lead.

Performance Over Pedigree

Another layer of roster building is how much draft status matters in final cuts. According to Quinn, that’s secondary to performance. “Probably early it does, but not later. Meaning like early picks, I could see that, but not as much on the later side,” he said.

“One thing that we really stand for here is the competition. And that's been Adam from the very beginning. And we knew that was the case going in; there wasn't going to be this or that. That's how we stand for how we do things. So yeah, I would say not from a you can't rule that over a performance-based thing.”

The Robinson trade is just a reminder of the Commanders’ commitment to building a roster that’s focused on performance rather than draft pick or familiarity. With cuts on the horizon, Quinn and Peters continue to set the tone for the culture in Washington, and it’s one where competition defines the team's identity.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2025 season.

More Washington Commanders News

• Commanders are seeing the right kind of progress from Luke McCaffrey

• This position group is becoming the brain of the Commanders defense

• NFL insider says Terry McLaurin could end holdout soon with Commanders

• 4 teams that could trade for Commanders RB Brian Robinson Jr.