Washington Commanders rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes had a disastrous rookie season in 2023. The No. 16 overall pick was embarrassed early in the season, lost his confidence and was benched.
Forbes returned and played well. Until he struggled again. And instead of allowing Forbes to play through his struggles, Washington’s previous staff — that had to have Forbes over other higher-rated cornerbacks — kept him on the bench.
The changes began after Thanksgiving when the Commanders fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and defensive backs coach Brent Vieselmeyer. Last month, Washington fired head coach Ron Rivera.
Now, one month later, the Commanders look completely different under new head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.
Quinn and Whitt came from Dallas, where two different cornerbacks led the NFL in interceptions in two of the past three seasons.
So, for those of you ready to give up on Forbes — just wait.
In his introductory press conference on Thursday, Whitt was asked about Forbes specifically.
“I really liked Forbes when he came out, and not only Forbes, I like Quan (Martin),” Whitt said. Martin was Washington’s second-round pick who improved throughout last season and has a bright future.
“And you know, they have a number of guys on that backend that are really intriguing. And the thing that we have to do, that’s why we brought (defensive pass game coordinator) Jason Simmons in and (defensive backs coach) Tommy Donatell, to get those guys in and to believe in the techniques that we’re going to teach ’em and the scheme that we’re going to put them in. But we have quality young players here. We are just ready to get to work with them.”
Forbes should be excited. Whitt has developed some outstanding players over the last 15 seasons with Green Bay, Cleveland, Atlanta, and Dallas. Simmons is a 10-year NFL veteran who worked with Whitt when he first began his coaching career in Green Bay and has also had stops in Carolina and Las Vegas.
Donatell is a young coach who can relate to younger players. In recent years, he has worked with Chargers’ All-Pro safety Derwin James. The Commanders also hired veteran defensive assistant John Pagano, who has a history of leading successful defenses and is known for his work with defensive backs.
Quinn has committed to not only bringing in better players but also improving the talent Washington has on the current roster. The different voices will be a positive change for Forbes and others after a tumultuous 2023 season.
Quinn, Whitt and general manager Adam Peters knew they couldn’t replace every player on the roster. The goal was to hire a strong staff built on teaching the fundamentals and leadership that would change the fortunes of some young players, specifically Forbes.
Forbes shared his excitement on Twitter when Quinn was announced as the head coach. If he was listening to Whitt’s opening press conference, he should be elated. If Forbes buys in — and there’s no reason to believe he won’t — he could be in store for a massive turnaround in 2024.