Commanders trade Brian Robinson Jr. to 49ers

The Washington Commanders are making a big move on their roster, trading last year's leading rusher Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers, according to ESPN insider Adam Schefter.

"Trade: Commanders are trading RB Brian Robinson to the 49ers in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick, sources tell ESPN," Schefter tweeted.

Trade: Commanders are trading RB Brian Robinson to the 49ers in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/bqYjKoxgl5
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 22, 2025

Robinson heads to 49ers as Christian McCaffrey's backup

Robinson was involved in trade rumors earlier this week and did not appear in the team's preseason loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Robinson ran the ball 187 times in the 2024 season, racking up 799 yards and eight touchdowns. He is due to hit free agency this spring, so the Commanders wanted to see if they could get some value from him in return.

With the 49ers, who already made a deal with the Commanders earlier this offseason for Deebo Samuel, Washington had a familiar trade partner. General manager Adam Peters was the assistant in San Francisco, so the landing spot makes sense.

Now, Robinson gets to play out his contract with the Niners to serve as depth in the backfield behind Christian McCaffrey, who has dealt with injuries over the past few years. According to NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo, the Commanders are agreeing to pay some of Robinson's $3.4 million salary for the upcoming season.

The #Commanders have agreed to take on some of the $3.4 million owed to Brian Robinson Jr. this season as part of the trade agreement with the #49ers, sources say.

Our story on the trade: https://t.co/tt3bXJX2iu
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 22, 2025

With Robinson traded, the Commanders will likely turn to seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt as the top running back in the offense. The Commanders like what Croskey-Merritt has shown during training camp and he looked strong with a 27-yard touchdown against the Bengals.

The Commanders are back on the field for the preseason finale against the Baltimore Ravens tomorrow at 12 noon ET inside Northwest Stadium.

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