Commanders weigh trading RB Brian Robinson amid crowded backfield

The Washington Commanders have reportedly begun shopping veteran running back Brian Robinson Jr. as rosters near the final cutdown deadline next week, a development that underscores the team’s eagerness to evaluate a crowded backfield and potentially reset its personnel for the 2025 season. With 53 players to trim from the current 90-man roster, Washington is weighing alternatives in the wake of the breakout of seventh-round rookie Jacory CroskeyMerritt and the club’s growing confidence in Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. The move creates a clear opening for a starter’s workload to be redistributed, and it has sparked speculation about potential trade partners across the league.

Robinson, 26, is entering the final year of his rookie contract and remains under a modest base salary of about 3.4 million. He has appeared in 41 games with 37 starts in Washington, contributing 2,329 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns in his three seasons, along with 159 receiving yards. The Commanders’ backfield for 2025 has been shaped by CroskeyMerritt’s emergence, Rodriguez’s development, and McNichols’ reliability, all of which complicate Robinson’s long-term fit in Washington. Coach Dan...