The Washington Commanders showed faith in the running backs at their disposal this offseason. That didn't stop one analyst from touting a potential trade chip in the room heading into the 2025 NFL Draft.
Adam Peters re-signed Jeremy McNichols when most thought he would take his chances elsewhere in free agency. Chris Rodriguez Jr. got an exclusive rights tender from the Commanders to prevent him from speaking to other teams. The former sixth-round pick has promise, but something prevented the coaching staff from giving him significant involvement in the playoffs despite the ground game stuttering.
Brian Roibinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler remain Washington's starting duo. The pair formed a decent tandem early in the campaign, but injuries and regression over the second half of 2024 led many fans to wonder if a change in approach was needed.
Peters stood pat, for now at least. It's worth remembering that this draft class is loaded at the running back position. The Commanders have just five picks as things stand. That won't prevent the general manager from finding another explosive backfield threat if the right opportunity comes along.
Analyst surprisingly names Brian Robinson Jr. as potential Commanders trade chip
What that means for Robinson and Ekeler is anyone's guess. Both are heading into the final year of their respective deals, so the urgency to improve should be high. Bradley Locker from Pro Football Focus held a different opinion, naming the former third-round pick out of Alabama as a surprising pre-draft trade chip based on his current career trajectory.
"The Commanders’ offseason has centered on upgrading the pieces around Jayden Daniels. In that sense, it might seem paradoxical to trade [Brian] Robinson, but there would be good reasons to do so. His PFF rushing grade has declined in all three seasons, and his 34 missed tackles forced in 2024 tied for 27th out of 31 qualified rushers. With Robinson only under contract for one more year and this draft class being rich at the position, trading him in favor of a rookie would be plausible."Bradley Locker
This would be surprising for several reasons.
The Commanders have faith in Robinson, who's proven capable of gaining hard yards between the tackles without quite doing enough to propel himself into the elite category. He's on a cheap deal and works well within a committee. This has merit, especially if Peters can find a change-of-pace option to give Washington something different alongside quarterback sensation Jayden Daniels.
One must also wonder if there would be a market for Robinson. Teams will be reluctant to part ways with draft capital when this year's college crop is so rich. It would be nothing more than a late-rounder or perhaps even a pick swap, which doesn't exactly make it an enticing proposition for Peters given the way he likes to do business.
This is a prove-it year for Robinson. Adding another dynamic threat will take some pressure off, keeping him healthy and giving him clear direction as the physical presence in Washington's running back room. Ekeler provides the pass-catching and kick-return prowess. All bets are off aside from that.
Robinson will be on the squad next season barring a drastic change of approach. Whether he's around beyond that is almost entirely dependent on his performance levels in 2025.