The San Francisco 49ers, an aggravating Seattle Seahawks rival, just purchased a very safe insurance policy for their backfield. By acquiring fourth-year running back Brian Robinson, Jr. from the Washington Commanders, they should help extend the life of their top back, Christian McCaffrey, [while giving Brock Purdy](https://12thmanrising.com/49ers-locking-up-brock-purdy-good-news-for-future-seahawks) a reliable way to keep ahead of the chains on extended drives.
Robinson has never been a particularly dynamic runner. In 570 career carries, his longest run has been 40 yards. But he has been as steady as they come since entering the league as a third-round draft pick out of Alabama in 2022.
He established his toughness before his rookie year even started. Robinson was shot twice in the leg a week before the season in 2022. He missed four games and was playing by Week 5. [In San Francisco](https://12thmanrising.com/seattle-seahawks-draft-bust-49ers-regret-signing-him), he joins receiver Ricky Pearsall, who was shot almost two years to the day after Robinson just before his own rookie season.
San Francisco now clearly leads the league in astonishingly tough and resilient players.
What Brian Robinson, Jr. brings to the 49ers' offense
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A lot of analysts are predicting a bounce-back season for Kyle Shanahan’s team. They suffered through a terrible injury-plagued 2024, but seem to have launched a reboot and are poised to challenge Los Angeles, Seattle, and Arizona in a rapidly changing NFC West.
I have poured cold water on that analysis, but I have to admit, I like this move quite a bit.
Robinson can reduce the heavy lifting that McCaffrey has had to do for the 49ers. He is a classic downhill runner who will get four yards on first down. He runs with great power and lean. He almost always falls forward. He has enough pop to turn a four-yard run into eight yards if he has a hole, but he will not do much more than that.
That’s what McCaffrey will do.
Robinson has also turned himself into a reliable receiver and solid blocker in pass protection. Those were not necessarily strengths coming out of college, but he has worked diligently in his three years in Washington. Consequently, San Francisco will not be locked into running the ball when he is on the field.
The trade from Washington continues the broad housecleaning of virtually every single draft pick made during the Ron Rivera years in DC. In most of those cases, Commanders GM Adam Peters simply determined the former picks weren’t talented enough to occupy a roster spot.
With Robinson, it’s a bit different. He clearly was not a scheme fit for the offense that Kliff Kingsbury wants to run. Rookie Bill Croskey-Merritt has been a revelation over the summer. He has a lot of wiggle and burst, as evidenced by his 27-yard touchdown run in the Commanders’ second preseason game. That run may have directly led to this transaction.
Washington also has Austin Ekeler as a veteran third-down presence and Chris Rodriguez as a between-the-tackles pounder, the same role Robinson had played.
I don’t expect Robinson to simply take over on early downs in San Fran. McCaffrey is still the undisputed alpha in the backfield. But Robinson can shoulder some of that early-down load so McCaffrey can get a little more rest. And I’m sure Shanahan is already drawing up plays that feature both backs, with McCaffrey splitting out wide to try and isolate on a linebacker or safety.
When that happens, Mike Macdonald will need to treat San Fran’s star like a receiver. But he will need to remember that the Niners also have a solid power back on the field who will eat up five and six yards at a time if the defense is spread too thin. I suspect the NFC West just got a little bit tougher.
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