Brian Robinson Jr. is gone. The Washington Commanders traded the fourth-year running back to the San Francisco 49ers on Friday for a 2026 sixth-round draft pick.

Just like that, the 2022 third-round pick was gone. Initial reports of the Commanders making Robinson available were revealed last weekend. However, Commanders insider Ben Standig had the news first that Robinson may not be on Washington’s 53-man roster.

Robinson did not play in Washington’s second preseason game last Monday against the Bengals and was excused from practice all week. Whether he was traded or not, Robinson was not returning to the Commanders.

While people always look for an angle for how a relationship falls apart, that wasn’t the case here. Washington liked Robinson. Robinson loved being with Washington. However, the emergence of other more versatile backs and Robinson’s power-running style weren’t necessarily the perfect fit in offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s fast-paced offense.

After Saturday’s preseason finale against the Baltimore Ravens, head coach Dan Quinn spoke on Robinson’s departure for the first time.

“We knew this was going to be a competitive group all the way back from the very beginning, and we certainly wish BRob the best in San Francisco, in terms of style and fit and all that,” Quinn said. “So, all that was a factor, but also the room here, too.”

LIVE: HC Dan Quinn speaks to the media after the preseason finale https://t.co/xlGBVtOZjG

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) August 23, 2025

There you have it—style and fit.

The presence of rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt and the emergence of Chris Rodriguez Jr. ultimately spelled the end of Robinson’s tenure with the Commanders.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: What did Dan Quinn say about Brian Robinson Jr?