It didn’t take long once the season started to see the Washington Commanders were done with second-year cornerback Emmanuel Forbes. Unlike most situations, this one was a little different, considering Forbes was a first-round pick just over a year ago.
Head coach Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., secondary coach Tommy Donatell, defensive pass game coordinator Jason Simmons and assistant secondary coach William Gay all have a history of developing cornerbacks.
None could get through to Forbes. On Saturday, the Commanders released Forbes with five games remaining in his second NFL season. Over the last five games, a healthy Forbes played eight total defensive snaps and was a healthy scratch in three games. The move was coming, whether it was now or in the offseason.
After Sunday’s 42-19 win over the Tennessee Titans, Quinn explained why Washington left Forbes.
“Yeah, [CB] Marshon’s [Lattimore] close, we talked about that, I think it was Friday, for him being back in it,” Quinn saif. And so, when we made the decision to release him, really just the best opportunity for the team at this point.”
Quinn then said that he told Forbes a change of scenery could do him good.
“And I had a chance to visit with him, and I explained to him sometimes that the change of scenery is good, and I’ve seen other players go to other clubs, and it turns out differently, and sometimes that’s a good thing. And I said that that can happen with you too. And so, I wanted to make sure he heard that from me, and there was even guys on his own team here that had started somewhere else as a first-round player and all of a sudden, just a different scenery and different shift. The new system can help. And so, we wanted to wish him best on this football journey wherever that goes from here.”
You have to appreciate Quinn. Telling any player you are cutting him is difficult. However, to waive a second-year player who has struggled but has done everything you’ve asked him to do is even more challenging. Quinn wanted Forbes to hear it from him while encouraging him at his next stop.
The Forbes’ pick shuts the door on a disastrous run of Ron Rivera draft classes. All four of Rivera’s first-round picks have been traded or cut. And it’s not like the traded players are necessarily thriving elsewhere.
The primary knock on Forbes coming out of the draft was his slight frame and inability to tackle consistently. That showed up repeatedly, but to make matters worse for Forbes, he struggled in coverage. He was never the same after Eagles star A.J. Brown beat him for multiple touchdowns in Week 4 of his rookie season.
Rivera should never have selected Forbes over Christian Gonzalez. Secondly, Rivera’s disastrous coaching staff last season didn’t help Forbes; they ruined his confidence and benched him. Quinn and his staff had their work cut out trying to rebuild Forbes’ confidence while also trying to scheme around the concerns about his size.