The Washington Commanders currently held six draft picks heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, with only two of them coming in the first two rounds.
Last offseason, they made a major move, trading four draft picks to the Houston Texans for star left tackle Laremy Tunsil. That included their second and fourth-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, leaving them with just five selections in the draft.
But, prior to the season starting, they were able to find a suitor for running back Brian Robinson Jr., trading
him to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2026 Day 3 pick, providing them with some much-needed capital.
Now, with the draft coming up, let’s revisit that trade for the Commanders.
Original terms of the Brian Robinson Jr. trade by the Commanders
- San Francisco 49ers receive: RB Brian Robinson Jr.
- Washington Commanders receive: 2026 sixth-round pick (No. 209 overall)
Who did the Commanders take with the pick from the Brian Robinson trade?
The Commanders stuck and made pick 209, using it on Michigan State center Matt Gubin.
How did Brian Robinson fare in San Francisco with the 49ers?
The 49ers made a win-now move with the trade for Robinson, who was on an expiring deal and was a player that the Commanders were actively looking to move. The running back ultimately ran for 400 yards and two touchdowns on 4.3 yards per carry, averaging 23.5 yards per game.
San Francisco’s run game was a struggle last season, as the team really struggled to generate explosive plays. The team’s run-blocking took a hit with injuries mounting, and Christian McCaffrey ran for just 3.9 yards per carry.
Robinson’s impact was overall limited because of how much McCaffrey was on the field. The star back had over 400 touches on the year, with his receiving impact being extremely important as the 49ers struggled to run the ball.
That took away touches from Robinson, whose impact wasn’t really felt as much in San Francisco’s offense. The backup did have some nice games, notably against the New York Giants, where he had five carries for 53 yards. But Robinson never had double digit carries in a game and was a non-factor in the playoffs.
How did the Commanders do in the trade for Brian Robinson
There really isn’t a negative for Washington in this deal. Robinson was a player they were considering releasing before moving him to the 49ers. To get a sixth-round pick back while getting off the final year of his contract was a good move and one that returned necessary draft capital.
Now, will the pick ultimately pan out? That’s something we’ll monitor over the coming years, but the Commanders got something rather than nothing for a player they didn’t seem inclined to keep.
This past season, Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Chris Rodriguez Jr. ended up leading the backfield after Austin Ekeler’s season-ending injury, while the Commanders struggled with injuries. The Commanders ended up fourth in the NFL in rushing yards per game, while averaging 4.7 yards per carry.
So they ended up panning out quite well there in a tough season, even without Robinson.
