2025 Commanders Transactions Thread

[Primus Porcus]

So this is... something?

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

So this is... something?

If true this is something. It means Bill would start.

But I’m not sure if it’s true

 

[Primus Porcus]

If true this is something. It means Bill would start.

But I’m not sure if it’s true

it's being widely reported, but most of it is pointing back to Schulz.

Mitch Tischler said a week or so ago that we shouldn't be surprised if BRob isnt on the week 1 roster, so there's at least a little bit of smoke beyond just rumor.

It actually wouldn't shock me if they're not sold on BRob. A lot of people (myself included) think he's 'fine' but you can relatively easily replicate his production. I dont think he's ever been in the long term plans of this front office / coaching staff, and if they're not going to keep him, or use him, might as well get something for him.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

it's being widely reported, but most of it is pointing back to Schulz.

Mitch Tischler said a week or so ago that we shouldn't be surprised if BRob isnt on the week 1 roster, so there's at least a little bit of smoke beyond just rumor.

It actually wouldn't shock me if they're not sold on BRob. A lot of people (myself included) think he's 'fine' but you can relatively easily replicate his production. I dont think he's ever been in the long term plans of this front office / coaching staff, and if they're not going to keep him, or use him, might as well get something for him.

I can’t imagine they are sold on BRob.

However I also don’t know if the want to put all the eggs in a late round rookie Bill + often injured Ekler + journeyman McNichols.

Not saying they can’t, but that would be risky also.

 

[Primus Porcus]

I can’t imagine they are sold on BRob.

However I also don’t know if the want to put all the eggs in a late round rookie Bill + often injured Ekler + journeyman McNichols.

Not saying they can’t, but that would be risky also.

I wonder if they don't also like what they see in Felton. He played WR in college and has transitioned to RB. He looks like the kind of guy that could be a direct backup to Deebo with a similar skillset. They may be looking at that level of versatility as a priority when talking about the best 53 man roster.

This may also sound bad but I don't think they see BRob as being irreplaceable. They very well may see the JCM / Ekeler duo as the premium with McNichols being a depth guy, and feel that 'knock knock on wood' if something were to happen, they could replicate that production either signing, or with a combo of other players.

 

[Conn]

I think it’s fairly likely that they see BRob as barely above replacement-level, like a lot of fans. I really don’t think he fits what Kliff does very well, and his poor vision really didn’t help matters last year. Scheming up something sweet only to watch your starting RB whiff entirely on the beautiful gap he could have cut into is probably infuriating. I could kind of see them not wanting to waste an improved OL on that sort of frustration, especially now that they’ve got eyes on someone on a rookie contract who knows what a jump cut is.

Schultz is decent in terms of breaking news. If this is true I’d assume he got it from one of the teams we’ve tried talking to about it.

Texans are a team I’d target, personally. Swap a 6th for a 5th and a 7th feels realistic. A 4th feels impossible but maybe swapping a 5th for a 4th.

Or Titans, with Spears hurt. Randy Johnson is their RB coach 👀

I can see why they didn’t try this before the draft, it was so deep at RB that you kind of had to let the chips fall and see who suffered summer injuries

 

[Conn]

Yeah, you can’t have this. A handoff to BRob giving you such a high likelihood of negative outcome really disincentivizes you from giving him those touches. And yet he’s a guy that needs volume to get in a rhythm at all. Just isn’t a fit

 

[Boone]

I have nothing against BRob, I just have never seen him as having any particularly special traits. He's probably above average in terms of 'physicality' - he does run hard and can be a punishing back. But in terms of speed, elusiveness, vision, pass-catching, 2nd gear, explosiveness, I think he's just an average NFL back.

It's ALWAYS difficult to assess RBs without also looking at the offensive scheme, how they are being used, what kind of OL and holes are they working with, etc... but it seems to me backs with special traits find ways to excel in spite of less than ideal circumstances. BRob has seemed to underperform expectations throughout his career so far. It may be that is unfair to him as he can't control 'expectations' and those set by fans may always have been unreasonably optimistic. And most obviously of all, he certainly didn't get the best circumstances in which to start out his NFL career getting shot in his rookie year.

 

[burgold]

One of BRob's problems was that he wasn't ever really great here with Quinn. One could argue that he was good before the injuries or that he was really hampered by the line, but the reality is once he got hurt and after he fumbled he never got back on track. So though BRob may have some institutional memory with the fans, he has none with Peters or Quinn. And the NFL isn't "What have you done for me lately?" It's "What can you do for me now?"

 

[Conn]

I could likely find at least one RB I’d prefer (usually more than one) on every single roster in the league to be honest. Why give such a player a large proportion of touches every week when you’re trying to have an explosive offense?

The idea that BRob is a recent “institution” with fans and that’s where his unearned name recognition comes from is a good take burgold. And I agree that it buys you nothing after you put a JAG type year on tape for the new coaches.

Kliff probably does like the guy and coaches know how to speak about the positives on guys they’re “stuck with” until they aren’t anymore. We’ll see I guess. But BRob and his poor vision are -EV for this scheme it feels like

 

[SkinsLife]

It could be a coaching strategy where they announce that they are trying to trade Robinson knowing they wont get much back in trade.. but main reason is that it lights a fire under Robinson to start playing like he did 2 years ago.

 

[Conn]

It could be a coaching strategy where they announce that they are trying to trade Robinson knowing they wont get much back in trade.. but main reason is that it lights a fire under Robinson to start playing like he did 2 years ago.

They don’t strike me as the types to roll like that, and locker rooms don’t like that sort of thing. Guys don’t like to be jerked around (TOOC Thread!), they want to know if they are safe to make a place their home or not. This regime has shown they prefer to do right by guys if they don’t have a future, not utilize BS motivational tactics. I think it’s very real

 

[Conn]

 

[Pokey]

Looking at Conn's post, wow. I didn't think Robinson was a world beater or anything but I thought he was better than that.

I'm guessing Chris Rodriguez will fill the short yardage roll ( I think I remember Keim saying Chris was actually a better pure runner than B-Rob) and they prey Austin Ekler can squeeze out one last season.

 

[Conn]

Looking at Conn's post, wow. I didn't think Robinson was a world beater or anything but I thought he was better than that.

I'm guessing Chris Rodriguez will fill the short yardage roll ( I think I remember Keim saying Chris was actually a better pure runner than B-Rob) and they prey Austin Ekler can squeeze out one last season.

And they’re very high on Bill Croskey-Merritt, and McNichols is a replacement level guy as well. It’s a position you can just throw bodies at if you’re looking to merely match Brian Robinson’s production. We can do better with Bill if we’re lucky, but Robinson is just extremely replaceable. It’s not even like he was a picture of health, he doesn’t even have that going for him.

 

[Bulldog]

Robinson is not out yet.

If all Peters can get for him is a #6 or #7 round pick next year it may make sense to maintain the depth we have.

I would not say that Chris Rodriguez is a better player than Robinson, not by a long stretch.

McNichols is almost 30 years old and has never been a regular back in the NFL.

He’s not a 4.4 guy either.

So assuming JCM and Ekeler are the top 2 I am hopeful we will end up better than Rodriguez and McNichols if Robinson is moved.

 

[DWinzit]

My gut is if he can get a 6th for BRob, he'd jump at the offer

 

[Conn]

Maybe I feel crazy because I’ve been a Brian Robinson hater for years but he is just…not good. What exactly are we replacing? Any warm body with NFL experience will give us similar production, that’s basically what McNichols is. Even if the guys we have aren’t up to the task (not something I agree with, but just for arguments’ sake), the FO will have a file full of these guys they’re comfortable enough with to rush 13 times per game for 52 yards and maybe a TD. We aren’t looking for a stud bellcow right now, even though that would be great. Robinson isn’t tough to replace, however. In my opinion, of course

 

[Conn]

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

2 things:
1. I don't know that the Brian Robinson discussion should be in this thread because it's about transactions and there hasn't been a transaction. Though, candidly, I'm not sure which thread it would go in, maybe the training camp thread or the trade thread. Shrug. no biggie but when I look into this thread, I'm looking for actual transactions.

2. Since we are having this conversation here, every GM can see the same flaws in BRob's game, so there is no chance somebody would offer anything for him. If somebody liked him, they'd just either claim him off waivers (I think he has to go through the waiver process), or as a FA. They're not getting anything for him.

The perfect coach for BRob would be Jay Gruden. He loved RBs who lacked ideal talent but tried hard. Pity he doesn't have a job. BRob is like Ryan Torain or Fat Rob Kelly. (Insert Jay getting excited and saying, "ooooh, I love Rob Kelly" here. (This used to be a favorite drop of Galdi when talking about Gruden. It was hysterical for so many reasons.)

EDIT: This is being discussed in the Transactions thread ad nauseum, so please take further comments about Robinson there. (I'm not sure that's the right place for it either, but at least it's centralized in one spot.)