It didn’t take Emmanuel Forbes long to find a new home. On Saturday, the Washington Commanders released the No. 16 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. On Monday, Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay revealed the Rams had claimed Forbes.
“He was a guy that we liked and had a familiarity with just based on the evaluation coming out of Mississippi State,” McVay said via Sarah Barshop of ESPN. “And then I thought there was some good tape that he’s put out there when we’ve gone against them, particularly later in the year last year.”
The Commanders played the Rams last year, but Forbes only played six snaps in that game. Forbes struggled badly as a rookie, was benched twice, but received a fresh start with Washington’s new coaching staff.
Head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whit Jr. praised Forbes this past offseason. However, it didn’t take long for the new regime to also sour on Forbes. Forbes played a season-high 35 defensive snaps in Week 1 vs. Tampa Bay. He again struggled, which was concerning after a shaky training camp and preseason.
Forbes missed Washington’s next two games with a thumb injury, returning in Week 4. He played in 33 snaps in Week 4 against the Cardinals, but over the next eight games, Forbes played a total of 41 defensive snaps. He did not play in three of his final four games in Washington after it appeared veteran Michael Davis passed him on the depth chart.
Last month’s trade for cornerback Marshon Lattimore sealed Forbes’ fate. While Lattimore has yet to make his Washington debut, he’s getting closer to a return and is expected to play against his old team when the Commanders return from a bye in Week 15.