It didn’t take long for Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. to show his value as a third round pick in 2022.
In one training camp and three preseason games for the Commanders Robinson proved himself enough to become the team’s top running back and despite a sensless act that stole the first four games of his career from him he turned in over 850 yards of offense as a rookie.
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Year two was supposed to be a big year for the entire Washington offense, but that didn’t go as planned. Still, Robinson eclipsed 1,000 yards of total offense while flexing his receiving ability that he’ll tell you was always there, just not used.
Under new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury there’s renewed hope Robinson and the entire Commanders offense will reach its full potential, making the running back a breakout player candidate according to 33rd Team’s Marcus Mosher.
Nov 12, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (8) / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
“The coaching change and the quarterback switch should greatly benefit Robinson, as the Commanders’ offense was one of the NFL’s least efficient in 2023,” writes Mosher. “Kingsbury loves to run the ball near the goal line, and we saw that in play in 2021 when James Conner had 18 touchdowns in 15 games. Conner wasn’t even the starting running back for the Cardinals yet produced a Pro Bowl season. Kingsbury favors a balanced approach despite using an Air Raid offense.
“Robinson isn’t that different from Conner, but he is much more explosive and could post huge numbers in 2024. If Daniels can keep defenses honest with his arm and legs, that should open up more rushing lanes.”
There are many who view veteran running back addition Austin Ekeler a threat to Robinson’s touch-share, and some even have him ahead of the younger ball-carrier on the depth chart, but those who cover the team locally don’t have those same concerns or takes.
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Robinson is the top back in Washington until he isn’t, and given his work ethic, determined style of play, and proven talent, it’s not likely he’ll be giving up that role anytime soon. It’s more likely Ekeler’s touches will come as a compliment to Robinson, not as a detriment to him.
And that, combined with facing defenses that will truly need to cover the whole field against the Commanders in 2024, make Robinson an exciting player to watch this season.
Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.
Source link : https://www.si.com/nfl/commanders/news/washington-commanders-running-back-brian-robinson-breakout-player-austin-ekeler-kliff-kingsbury
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Publish date : 2024-05-18 03:00:00
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