The San Francisco 49ers have not been shy about making trades this offseason, as they look to bounce back from a rough 2024 season. In June, the 49ers surprisingly acquired veteran pass rusher Bryce Huff from the Philadelphia Eagles.
Then, just this week, San Francisco added much-needed depth to its wide receiver room, with the acquisition of Skyy Moore from the Kansas City Chiefs.
That said, the 49ers weren’t done making moves this week, as they added a former third-round pick at running back, who recently fell out of favor with his previous team. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Washington Commanders traded running back Brian Robinson to the 49ers in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick.
Trade: Commanders are trading RB Brian Robinson to the 49ers in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/bqYjKoxgl5
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 22, 2025
With the addition of Robinson, who immediately becomes the 49ers’ RB2, San Francisco’s RB room gets a little bit more crowded ahead of their final preseason game.
Veteran RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn on Thin Ice Following Brian Robinson Trade
Due to the recent injuries they’ve suffered in the backfield, San Francisco brought in Jeff Wilson, Ameer Abdullah, and Ke’Shawn Vaughn.
Abdullah suffered a season-ending injury in the opener, ending his 2025 season, leaving Wilson and Vaughn to battle for a potential roster spot. However, that all changes with Robinson coming on board, meaning one of these two vets could be the odd man out.
Given Wilson’s familiarity and success with the organization, Vaughn looks to be on his way out the door with this trade.
The 49ers signed Vaughn earlier this month after having him on the roster for a few games last season. He wasn’t overly impressive in those games, playing a total of 17 snaps (14 on special teams).
Fast forward to the preseason, where Vaughn hasn’t done much to stand out. The veteran RB played one snap in the opener (four-yard carry). However, Vaughn saw an increase in snaps in the 49ers’ second preseason game.
The 5-foot-10 running back saw 10 snaps, but had a mediocre 24 rushing yards on nine carries for a 2.7 yards per carry. Vaughn’s PFF grade wasn’t spectacular after last week’s game, as he had a 51.2.
For his career, Vaughn averages 3.7 yards per carry, which is not great. The veteran could have one more chance to prove himself in the preseason finale, especially with the team just getting Robinson.
However, he will likely be auditioning for the other 31 teams across the league as his days in a 49ers uniform are numbered.