There was hope for second-year cornerback Emmanuel Forbes this offseason. It was a fresh start for the Washington Commanders 2023 first-round pick under new general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn.
As a rookie, Forbes’ position coach had no business being an NFL position coach and was fired after Thanksgiving. However, Quinn, known for getting the most out of defense backs, hired an excellent staff, including defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., secondary coach Tommy Donatell, assistant defensive backs coach William Gay and defensive pass game coordinator Jason Simmons. Gay and Simmons both played defensive back in the NFL.
Forbes was excited about the changes, and the new staff seemed eager to work with Forbes.
When the Commanders had a joint practice with the Jets this summer, Forbes struggled. But it was practice. Forbes played 55% of the defensive snaps in the season opener against Tampa Bay. He missed the next two weeks with an injury.
Forbes returned in Week 4 in a blowout win over the Cardinals, participating in 56% of the defensive snaps. The following week, against Cleveland, Forbes played only four snaps and was a healthy scratch against Baltimore.
In a Week victory over Carolina, Forbes played 29 snaps, but in the four games since, he has played a total of eight defensive snaps. Despite being active, Forbes did not play a single snap in two of those games. Forbes was active for Washington’s Thursday night loss to the Eagles, but veteran Michael Davis, who had played 32 total snaps all season, played 20 snaps against Philly.
While the Commanders wait for Marshon Lattimore’s debut, it’s clear where they see Forbes. The 16th overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft is clearly at the bottom of the cornerback depth chart and is likely not long for Washington once the season ends.
Forbes’s best-case scenario is that he makes some plays when he gets a chance. Otherwise, some of the knocks against him coming out, such as his size and inability to defend the run, will keep him off the field. Washington’s coaches aren’t biased against Forbes. He had the same opportunity as everyone else, even more so being a recent first-round pick, but has failed to capitalize.
Making matters worse, Peters had to trade future assets to the Saints to acquire Lattimore because Forbes hasn’t developed, and coaches don’t feel like he will.
