San Francisco 49ers Transform Offense With Huge Trade For Washington Commanders Star

On Friday August 22, 2025, NFL insider Adam Schefter reported the San Francisco 49ers are acquiring running back Brian Robinson from the Washington Commanders in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round NFL Draft pick. 

After a quiet offseason in both free agency and the trade market, Robinson immediately becomes the 49ers’ biggest addition to their 2025 roster. 

Robinson joins the 49ers with 1 year and $3.4 million remaining on his contract. The Commanders will reportedly be taking on some of that contract.

He has one preseason game, against the Los Angeles Chargers, to ramp up before the 49ers expect him to contribute Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks. 

All About Brian Robinson

Robinson is a former superstar and national champion at the University of Alabama. 

After serving in a backup role for four seasons, and winning two National Championships with ‘Bama in 2017 and 2020, Robinson started for Alabama as a fifth-year senior in 2021. That season, he had 1,343 rushing yards and 16 total touchdowns. 

He was named first team All-SEC for his efforts. NFL scouts took notice, and the Commanders ultimately selected Robinson with the 98th overall pick in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. 

Leading up to the 2022 season, Robinson was shot during an armed robbery. He suffered no life-threatening injuries but missed his first 4 games due to bullet wounds in his knee and glute. 

Robinson rebounded to rush for 797 yards in only 12 games. He scored 3 total touchdowns in his rookie season as well. 

In total, he has 2,329 yards, 15 rushing touchdowns and 5 receiving touchdowns in his 3 NFL seasons, all spent with the Commanders. 

Robinson is a powerful, well-built and physical running back who has been often utilized like a traditional back. 

The Commanders moved on from him due to salary constraints and a crowded backfield. Washington feels comfortable moving forward with Austin Ekeler and Chris Rodriguez as their primary backs. 

Robinson Is A Godsend For the 49ers Offense

The 49ers needed Brian Robinson like they needed air. 

Heading into the season, nearly all of the 49ers running backs besides starter Christian McCaffrey are injured. 

Patrick Taylor, Corey Kiner and Ameer Abdullah are all on injured reserve. Jordan James is also out with a broken finger. Isaac Guerendo and Jeff Wilson are essentially the 49ers’ only healthy backups. 

Even ahead of the season, the 49ers running back room felt a little shaky with Guerendo as the primary backup and not much depth behind him. Guerendo only has 420 career rushing yards and 4 touchdowns. 

Robinson gives the 49ers a backup running back that they can rely on to take much of the load off of McCaffrey and even serve as an insurance policy for him. CMC is coming off a very injury-hampered season. If he goes down again, the 49ers now have a running back who has been a solid NFL starter. 

And he just gives them another weapon for a few week period where they are thin at all the skill positions. Heading into week 1, they have one healthy starting wide receiver in Ricky Pearsall. George Kittle and McCaffrey are the only two healthy, established stars at the skill positions. Robinson gives Brock Purdy another proven guy to work with. 

Niner fans, are you excited to see Brian Robinson in a 49ers uniform? 

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