Should the Bears consider trading for Commanders RB Brian Robinson Jr.?

The Chicago Bears‘ running back room remains a sizable question mark behind incumbent starter D’Andre Swift.

Rookie seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai appears to have leapfrogged former fourth-round hero Roschon Johnson on the depth chart, and Johnson’s lingering foot injury has put his place on the Bears’ 53-man roster in jeopardy.

While Monangai has flashed an exciting blend of power and contact balance during his short time with the Bears, general manager Ryan Poles could look to the trade market to add a between-the-tackles banger for Ben Johnson’s offense.

The Washington Commanders have made it known that Brian Robinson Jr. is on the trade block, and at 6-1 and 228 pounds, he’d offer the kind of short-yardage skill set the Bears could use to make Johnson’s offense flow.

Robinson finished the 2024 season with 187 carries for 799 yards (4.3 ypc) and eight touchdowns. Most analysts assumed he’d be the Commanders’ starting running back in 2025, making this turn of events pretty shocking.

“The Commanders could end up trying to trade Robinson over the next several days, one league source said,” ESPN’s John Keim wrote. “If they don’t find a suitor, Washington could end up cutting Robinson, its primary back the past three seasons.”

Brian Robinson Jr. would make sense for Bears’ running game

I was a big fan of Robinson as an NFL Draft prospect. I thought he had traits that would translate well to the pros, especially with how physicality has declined in recent years. Robinson is a legitimate thumper. And while it’s unlikely he’ll ever be the kind of running back who brings fans to their feet after a massive 50-yard touchdown run, he wouldn’t have to be in Chicago.

Instead, Robinson would be the 1B to Swift’s 1A. His arrival wouldn’t mean Monangai doesn’t have a future, either. Instead, the two hard-charging runners would compete for reps.

Competition is a good thing, right?

Robinson, a former third-round pick with Alabama pedigree, has 570 career carries for 2,329 yards and 15 scores. At 26 years old, he has plenty of juice left in his legs. And he’ll be running extra hard this season as he works his way toward unrestricted free agency.

All signs point toward Robinson having a strong season.

Of course, any potential Brian Robinson trade would come down to the asking price. At this point, if the Commanders are considering releasing him, he could probably be had for a sixth or even seventh-round pick. That’s a steal, in my opinion. Especially for a team like the Bears with what feels like such an unsettled running back room.