ESPN Analyst Shares Blunt Response to 49ers Trade for Brian Robinson Jr.

The San Francisco 49ers decided to bolster their depth at running back on August 22 with the trade for Washington Commanders‘ Brian Robinson Jr. With Robinson heading to the Bay Area, the 49ers sent a 2026 sixth-round draft pick to the Commanders.

San Francisco now have a quality running back behind Christian McCaffrey and ESPN’s Bill Barnwell sees Robinson’s arrival to the 49ers as a good fit.

“I like it,” Barnwell said on “NFL Live.” “It’s real peace of mind for the Niners with their backfield. Now you have a back you can sub in for 10, 15 snaps a game early in there with Christian McCaffrey. And if McCaffrey goes down, we’ve seen Brian Robinson shoulder the majority of a starting workload.”

Is Brian Robinson Jr. trade no-lose situation for 49ers?

Robinson will be arriving in San Francisco highly motivated since it’s a contract year for him, and he’ll be looking for a lucrative contract this offseason, whether it’s from the 49ers or another team. Moreover, Barnwell believes that this is a win-win scenario for San Francisco.

“Robinson can be that back on a one-year deal,” Barnwell added. “So, obviously, not a huge investment here from San Francisco’s perspective. I like the deal. I like the fit. And I think it’s going to be a situation where they might get a comp pick next year in free agency when he leaves. This could really be a free rental if things work out for the Niners.”

In three seasons with the Commanders, Robinson has recorded over 700 rushing yards for Washington. Furthermore, last season, the Alabama product recorded a season high of eight touchdowns.

Should the 49ers get this consistent production from the 26-year-old, it’s well worth investing a sixth-round pick to ensure they have a safety net should McCaffrey face an injury at any point this upcoming season.

San Francisco are being careful with Christian McCaffrey

One reason the 49ers likely jumped at the chance to add a player of Robinson’s caliber is to share the physical toll that running backs endure, easing the load on McCaffrey. Reducing his workload improves the veteran’s chances of staying healthy.

The team have already been managing McCaffrey carefully with a lighter workload during training camp and preseason.. On July 27, ESPN’s Nick Wagoner relayed Kyle Shanahan’s remarks regarding their stance to ensure the former Carolina Panthers standout can stay healthy for the early part of the season.

“This has been part of the plan,” Shanahan said. “Christian gets frustrated with it. He wants to be out there; he wants to do everything. But Christian also is very smart and knows what the deal is and knows that we do need to protect him from himself. So, he’s on board with it all. But I know he is feeling good and when he feels good, he doesn’t like days off, but he understands why he’s got [to do it].”

With more depth behind him, San Francisco can take this same approach heading into the 2025 season because if the 49ers want to reach the postseason, they need a healthy McCaffrey.