The NFL trade market has been hot over the last few weeks, and the San Francisco 49ers have been right at the center of some of the action as they try to beef up on offense. The Niners pulled off one of the biggest trades of the preseason when they agreed to acquire running back Brian Robinson Jr. from the Washington Commanders.
San Francisco got Robinson for a fairly cheap price, sending just a sixth-round pick back to the nation's capital in return for him. Now, that pick has gotten some more clarity on where it will come. The 49ers have a pair of sixth-rounders in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the Commanders will get whichever one comes later in the draft according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area.
“The sixth-round 2026 selection the 49ers will send to Washington for RB Brian Robinson is a conditional pick,” Maiocco reported on X, formerly Twitter. “The 49ers had two selections in the sixth: Their own and one coming from Minnesota in the Jordan Mason trade. Washington will get the pick that comes later in the round.”
That was somewhat of a surprising price tag for Robinson, who has been a consistent producer over his three seasons in Washington. He has racked up 17 total touchdowns over the last two seasons and should be able to play a role in Kyle Shanahan's offense immediately.
The Commanders seem to love rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, one of the stars of training camp and the preseason, and this trade should open up more of a role for him in the regular season (take note, fantasy managers!).
On the 49ers side, Robinson provides reliable insurance in case Christian McCaffrey suffers from injuries again in 2025 like he did during the 2024 season. Most running backs are able to thrive in Shanahan's scheme, and Robinson should be no different even if he projects to get limited usage early in the year with McCaffrey healthy and ready to go.
