On Friday, the San Francisco 49ers beefed up their running back depth as they traded for Washington Commanders' Brian Robinson Jr. in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round draft pick. Moreover, this move gives the 49ers a reliable backup behind Christian McCaffrey.
Robinson ran for 2,329 yards and 15 touchdowns over three seasons but seemed to fall out of favor this summer, which led to the trade.
Now he'll get a fresh start in Kyle Shanahan's run-friendly offense, a system known for producing surprise standouts. It allows Robinson to back up McCaffrey while taking advantage of goal-line opportunities.
Brian Robinson Jr. to the 49ers makes sense
NBC Sports Bay Area host Bonta Hill was on 95.7 The Game's "The Morning Roast" and shared his thoughts on the 49ers adding a running back that can compliment McCaffrey. Moreover, the Alabama product can help take some of the workload off the veteran tailback.
"Brian Robinson can run the zone scheme which is very important and it's just a sixth-round pick, a flyer on a guy who's in a contract year," Hill said. "You're going to get the best out of him."
Furthermore, Hill laid out the traits that made Robinson an appealing player for the 49ers to trade for heading into the 2025 NFL season.
MORE: Why Commanders let go of Brian Robinson Jr. & what 49ers hope to achieve
"Robinson has better hands. He's in a contract year. And what does Shanahan want to do? He wants to run the ball 30 times a game. He wants to get to that 30 number. So now you can give McCaffrey 15 to 17 touches in the run game.
"And now you got Brian Robinson, where you could go to him 10 to 12 times. Hell, you give him a possession—'Hey, Brian Robinson, this is all you'—and he could wear down defenses. I love this move. And it's smart because, again, the depth of the running back room—where is it?"