The San Francisco 49ers began training camp with as many as eight running backs on their roster.
Unfortunately for San Francisco, they've lost two of them-Patrick Taylor Jr. (shoulder) and Corey Kiner (ankle)-to season-ending injuries, and a third-Jordan James (broken finger)-has been sidelined for much of camp and the preseason.
So it came as no surprise when the 49ers pulled off a major trade on Friday to bolster their RB room, acquiring 26-year-old Brian Robinson Jr. from the Washington Commanders in exchange for a sixth-round pick.
It was the second trade San Francisco executed this week after trading a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for wide receiver Skyy Moore and a 2027 seventh-round pick.
Robinson Jr., a third-round pick of the Commanders back in 2022, has had three productive seasons in the NFL, rushing for 730 or more yards in every season while scoring 15 touchdowns and adding 65 catches, 587 yards and five more scores through the air across 37 starts.
His presence gives the 49ers a capable backup to Christian McCaffrey, who missed 13 of the team's 17 games last season while battling multi-leg Achilles tendonitis and a PCL sprain in his right leg.
While some have wondered what San Francisco's running back share might look like in 2025 with Robinsons Jr. now battling James, Isaac Guerendo, Ke'Shawn Vaughn, and Jeff Wilson Jr. for carries, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo shed some light on how the 49ers plan to use their new acquisition.
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"Brian Robinson is en route to the Bay Area to take a physical and finalize the trade," Garafolo reported. "The #49ers, who have been working to add backfield depth, envision often utilizing him and Christian McCaffrey on the field at the same time."
Given how running back-friendly head coach Kyle Shanahan's offensive system is, there are seemingly plenty of packages the 49ers could scheme up to work both Robinson Jr. and McCaffery, who ranks third among RBs in receiving yards (1,943) and fifth in receptions (221) since 2020, into the offense concurrently.
The 49ers were the third-best rushing team in the NFL in 2023, the last time McCaffrey was fully healthy, totaling 140.5 yards per game with a league-high 27 rushing touchdowns and 4.8 yards per carry - also third-best.
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