It’s no secret that the Dallas Cowboys are in the market for a running back. Miles Sanders failed to impress during his preseason debut and Jaydon Blue continues to deal with a heel bruise that has caused him to miss two weeks of practice and preseason action.
If the season were to start today, Javonte Williams would be the Week 1 starter and that doesn’t scare anyone. However, there could be a potential solution available for the Cowboys inside their own division. And that player is Brian Robinson of the Washington Commanders.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported on Sunday evening that the Commanders have been shopping Robinson as he might not make the final roster in Washington. It was later revealed that Brian Robinson won't play in the team's preseason game on Monday. That would seem to foreshadow that a trade is inevitable.
Brian Robinson could solve the Cowboys' running back woes
The Commanders have a rookie running back who they love in Jacory Crosky-Merritt, and that could make Robinson expendable. Washington also has Austin Ekeler in their backfield, and his role remains unchanged in Year 2 under Kliff Kingsbury. It's a crowded backfield, and Robinson might be the odd-man out after the addition of Crosky-Merritt in the draft.
While no one is going to confuse Robinson for Saquon Barkley or Derrick Henry, he is a productive starting running back who has scored 17 touchdowns over the last two seasons while averaging 4.2 yards per carry. Again, those aren’t spectacular numbers, but they are a great improvement compared to what Williams and Sanders have posted recently.
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Robinson would be a strong fit in Brian Schottenheimer’s offense, which prioritizes gap runs. Dallas wants to run the ball downhill and be physical at the point of attack, and that’s where Robinson thrives. He doesn’t have the long speed to rip off big runs, but he moves the chains and adds physicality to a backfield.
But would Washington really trade their starting running back to a divisional rival, especially if it makes Dallas that much better? If the Commanders are dead set on trading him and the Cowboys have the best offer on the table, it might be hard to turn it down.
The Commanders haven't been pleased with the offers they've received, and that's why the news is now out there that Robinson is available. With Robinson on the final year of his contract, it’s unlikely that Washington will get more than a late-round pick for him in return. But they also might want to “do right” by the player and send him to a team that can best utilize him.
Don’t be surprised if the Cowboys sniff around here because Robinson would instantly be the best RB on the roster, and it would hardly cost them anything.