It isn’t just preseason chatter.
Recent reports stated the Commanders are actively shopping last year’s starting running back Brian Robinson Jr., and the joint decision to not play him in Monday’s preseason game seemed to confirm it.
Coach Dan Quinn said he spoke to Robinson on Sunday afternoon, and there are “a lot of moving parts.”
“News like that’s always not easy,” Quinn said regarding his conversation with Robinson.
This comes as the Commanders appear comfortable with a running back room that includes veterans Austin Ekeler and Chris Rodriguez, along with seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt.
Croskey-Merritt has been getting rave reviews throughout camp and looked solid during Monday’s 31-17 loss to the Bengals, rushing 11 times for 46 yards and a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez, who operated as the team’s third running back for much of last season, also put on a show, running six times for 62 yards while working with the first-team offense.
Ekeler, who projects as the lead back if Robinson is moved, did not play.
Robinson is in the final year of his rookie contract, and rushed for 799 yards and six touchdowns last season for a Commanders offense that took multiple leaps forward behind rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.
After being selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Alabama, he expected to immediately compete for the starting role.
Robinson was shot in the leg during a carjacking attempt in 2022, which delayed the start of his career, and he miraculously returned to run for 797 yards.
Potential landing spots for Robinson include the Cowboys, Texans, Chiefs and Vikings, but there are expected to be many more potential options for him.
