Brian Robinson Jr. Roster Move: Can Washington Commanders Rookie RB Play in Week 5?

Any doubt about Robinson’s ability to return from the surgery to repair lower-body damage from a pair of gunshot wounds is, happily, fading.

The frightening facts about Washington Commanders rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr. being victimized and shot in a carjacking attempt are not going away.

But any doubt about Robinson’s ability to return from the surgery to repair lower-body damage from a pair of gunshot wounds is, happily, fading.

On Thursday, Robinson - who opened the week by sticking on the Commanders’ 53-man roster - was moved by the club to the reserve/non-football injury list. 

This transaction will not allow him to practice or to play in the first four games of the season. And it frees him to return to active duty in time for Week 5.

That, however, is a paperwork fact more than it is a realistic goal. The idea of rolling off a non-practice list and onto an NFL field for a fans is not a realistic one.

But is nevertheless means optimism for Washington, which had a plan to feature the rookie from Alabama in its backfield along with incumbent starter Antonio Gibson, who will now likely return to the top of the team’s running back rotation.

“What the 53 does for us is it gives us a little bit of time," coach Ron Rivera said in previewing this move. "He’s going to be re-examined by the doctors. They’ll continue to look at him. What we are looking for is that we are looking for a timeline. Anything close to a certain situation, we will do one thing. Close to another situation, we will do something else. That was the whole idea of having him on the 53.”

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