Why did Commanders let Robinson go? Let’s take a beat to find out

• Coming off a run to the NFC title game, Commanders seemed to fortify their roster yet agreed to trade Robinson on Friday.
• Washington has also been slow to award WR Terry McLaurin, a longtime leader, a new contract.
• But there are still two weeks to smooth things over and reveal a plan before the Giants come to play in the Week 1 opener.

If you’re wondering what the Washington Commanders are doing … same. But let’s not suggest they don’t deserve the benefit of the doubt despite their recent maneuvers (or lack thereof).

Friday’s agreement to trade starting running back Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers – in what effectively and belatedly becomes a Robinson-for-Deebo Samuel swap − landed with a perplexing first impression, particularly given what had occurred otherwise during the offseason.

Coming off a magical ride to the NFC championship game last season, spearheaded by Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels and a wholly new regime, the Commanders punctuated – well ahead of schedule – their return to NFL relevance. Then GM Adam Peters and coach Dan Quinn spent a good chunk of the spring signaling a Lombardi Trophy push as their wunderkind quarterback entered his second season – meaning at least two more to go before Daniels is even eligible for the nine-figure extension he probably already deserves.

Peters made a deal in March for Samuel, an often dynamic player if one who’s often banged up and has limitations as a receiver. He’s also in a walk year. Also acquired was left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who has a reputation as one of the league’s better blockers … and for forgetting the snap count. Aging leaders like LB Bobby Wagner, TE Zach Ertz and QB2 Marcus Mariota all re-signed. OLB Von Miller joined, too, hoping for a Super Bowl ring with his third different team. Rookies Josh Conerly Jr. and Trey Amos appear to have the chops to be immediate and key contributors.

It all seemed to make sense, reloading and maybe upgrading in a bid to potentially deliver mortal blows to the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, who rule the NFC East and KO’d the Commanders decisively in that NFC title game.

But lately?

The Commanders have been dragging their feet amid WR Terry McLaurin’s desire for a new contract – and if ever there was a good soldier, it’s McLaurin, who also deserves a medal for willingly being front and center for his teammates while unfailingly performing at a high level throughout the final tumultuous years of the Danny Snyder era. And, even then, despite a brief holdout and a training camp largely spent in street clothes, it felt like McLaurin would – will? – probably get his bag and smoothly reassimilate into Kliff Kingsbury’s offense as the Batman to Samuel’s Robin.

But exporting Robinson, who had nearly 1,000 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns in 2024? It’s still a bit of a surprise, even though the writing appeared on the Commanders Park walls in recent days. Quinn excused Robinson from Monday’s preseason loss to the Cincinnati Bengals and had the good sense and class to inform the player and team of the situation before kickoff. Afterward, rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt scored on a 27-yard TD run. Third-year man Chris Rodriguez Jr. started at tailback and rushed six times for 62 yards.

“These are some really tough, tough decisions,” Quinn said Thursday, when Robinson remained on the roster.

“So, I’m definitely looking at those and that’s what’s keeping me up (at night).”

RECORD PROJECTIONS: How many games will Commanders win?

There’s no question that Quinn and Peters see a bigger picture than fans, reporters and maybe even some Commanders players can envision – and maybe it will come into focus sooner than later. Maybe the hype surrounding Croskey-Merritt, who’s been turning heads since being plucked out of Arizona in the seventh round is legit and no one will mourn Robinson’s departure in a month. Heck, no one in this town saw Alfred Morris coming when he rushed for a team record 1,613 yards as rookie in 2012 – directly benefiting from the presence of dual threat QB Robert Griffin III for what it’s worth.

Perhaps the combo of Daniels, veterans Austin Ekeler and Rodriguez plus Croskey-Merritt actually elevates a run game that ranked third in the league in 2024 even though no Commander rushed for as many as 900 yards. And it’s not like anyone will confuse Robinson’s pedestrian production − by NFL standards − with Christian McCaffrey, the dynamic runner he’ll now backstop. And yet Robinson was a generally reliable pass protector and a guy willing to fight for hard yards so Quinn and Kingsbury didn’t have to overly rely on Daniels, whose electric legs produced a team-high 891 yards in 2024.

Yet it’s hard to ignore the potential fraying to the “brotherhood” mantra Quinn has leaned on throughout his career. Robinson, a pending free agent due a modest $3.4 million in 2025, gets shipped out for a song two weeks before the season – for whatever the team’s reasons were, contractual or performance or both. Worse, McLaurin, a beloved team leader and perhaps the offense’s second-most important component, continues twisting in the wind for a club projected to have more than $60 million worth of salary cap space in 2026, per OverTheCap.

But Quinn is attuned to the NFL’s business side, much as he seems to be tiring of questions regarding Robinson and, especially, McLaurin, who’s now off the PUP list but not yet practicing. As for Peters, who previously worked for the Niners, he witnessed his former boss, John Lynch, routinely drive hard bargains late into the summer and make many tough decisions – most worked out fine.

The Commanders only have 16 days until the regular season starts. Also, the Commanders have 16 days until the regular season starts. Much will doubtless be revealed before they open against the division rival New York Giants on September 7, a game that maybe isn’t the layup it appeared to be even two weeks ago.

But in this brief interim, maybe a Washington squad loaded with veterans and led by a galvanizing coach deserve a little time and grace before anyone on Capitol Hill, Richmond, Ashburn, Landover or anywhere else in the greater DMV (D.C.-Maryland-Virginia) area pushes the panic button.

But just a little.