After Rough Preseason, Should Commanders Trade Antonio Gibson?
If the Washington Commanders are all-in with rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr. as the lead runner, this will lead to questions of third-year running back Antonio Gibson’s role moving forward.
It’s a tough reality for fans to come to grip with, but trading Gibson for the right cost certainly will be a discussion before the start of the regular season.
After last week’s mishaps against the Carolina Panthers, Washington elected to run Robinson with the first-team offense in the team’s 24-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs Saturday afternoon. Gibson, who is coming off his first 1,000-yard season, mostly played on passing downs during the first half. He recorded three catches for 37 yards, including a 22-yard gain during the team's touchdown drive in the second quarter.
On run plays, Gibson offered little to no value. One play went for a loss of two yards. The next went for a gain of five. Robinson, who was drafted in the third round out of Alabama, tallied eight carries for 31 yards and averaged 3.9 yards a play.
Washington needs to be careful if it elects to field calls for Gibson prior to Week 1’s matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Since the demotion, Gibson primarily has been a factor on special teams working as the team’s new return man.
In a sense, he has a home in the return game. On Saturday, Gibson averaged a team-high 17 yards per return. Special teams coordinator Nate Kaczor has been a fan of his work ethic in the role after Rivera elected to give Robinson a bulk of the carries.
“Antonio's a big man,” Kaczor said earlier this week. “So those big returners that have speed, just like when they run the ball on offense, they're harder to tackle."
Gibson’s goal is to see the field as a feature back. Requesting a trade would do little as he’s under contract for another two seasons. He also offers depth at a position of need for Washington and is an effective receiver out of the backfield.
Everything in life has a price. The right offer could allow general manager Martin Mayhew to move Gibson, gain draft capital for 2023 and end the debate on which running back is the “right” choice for coordinator Scott Turner’s offense.
With two years left on his current four-year, $4.93 million contract, any team interested in Gibson would likely have to give up a mid-round pick. A third- or potential compensatory fourth-round selection would likely start a dialogue between the two parties. Anything else added would sweeten the deal to become official.
When looking at teams who could be in the market for running backs, the Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans and Las Vegas Raiders all come to mind. Atlanta averaged 3.7 yards a carry in 2021, and did little to upgrade its putrid run game in the offseason. Houston averaged a league-low 3.4 yards per carry last fall. Las Vegas has reportedly been linked to trade rumors surrounding fourth-year pro Josh Jacobs.
Does one option listed work? Do any for that matter?
Washington could be interested in seeing how the regular season pans out before offering a running back with value on the open market. Gibson’s struggles could mean little by Week 3. Robinson’s success in the preseason could simply be that and nothing more by the time reps matter.
Washington has options in its backfield. It also has options on the trade market. And somewhere in the middle, a decision needs to be made on Gibson’s future with the organization.
If demoted, the Commanders should be doing everything in their power to get value back for a player with upside.
It’s nothing personal to Gibson, but rather business for the Commanders.
