Texans miss out on an opportunity to help them fix a problem they’ve been dealing with for a few weeks
The Texans have some questions at running back and Brian Robinson Jr. would’ve helped answer a few of them.
The Houston Texans remain uncertain as to when starting running back Joe Mixon can return to the football field and there’s a good chance it bleeds into the regular season.
The Texans have been without Mixon since the start of training camp because of a lingering foot issue. Nick Chubb is RB2, but he has long injury history and frankly, it’d be a bad idea to promote him to RB1 without a solid backup plan and with all due respect, Dameon Pierce and Dare Ogbunowale aren’t ideal candidates.
All of the above is why Friday’s news regarding former Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. is unfortunate for the Texans. The fourth-year player was traded to the San Francisco 49ers for a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Texans missed out on a chance to bring in a solid RB who’s rushed for over 730 yards in each of the first three seasons of his career and has 15 total rushing touchdowns, as well. He’s also a back that can catch the ball out of the backfield.
Brian Robinson Jr. would’ve been a good fit in Texans OC Nick Caley’s offense
The Texans were one of several teams reported to have interest in Robinson Jr. and it makes sense because he would’ve been a good fit in Nick Caley’s offense.
Plenty of people still think of outside zone when they think of Sean McVay’s ground game, but the Los Angeles Rams head coach changed things up in 2024 and made gap/power schemes the staple of his rushing attack.
As we know, Nick Caley hails from the Rams and is bringing a lot of McVay’s philosophies with him. Robinson Jr. is a very good power back, as his vision and physical running style allow him to have success against opposing defenses.
Per Pro Football Focus, Robinson’s 3.07 yards after contact per attempt ranked 12th among 26 running backs with at least 187 carries on the season. He was having a pretty solid year before an ankle injury against the Cleveland Browns slowed his momentum.
At best, he’s a high-end RB2 that would’ve been really useful until Mixon returns and even after that. The trio of a healthy Mixon, Robinson Jr., and Chubb would’ve made a pretty good three-headed attack but now we’ll have to see if the Texans make any moves once roster cuts are finalized.
