Tag: Emmanuel Forbes

Rams DC Chris Shula says Emmanuel Forbes has ‘looked really good’

Rams DC Chris Shula has been impressed by Emmanuel Forbes in practice, seeing a player who keeps improving

Emmanuel Forbes’ tenure with the Washington Commanders ended after just a season and a half, a shockingly short stint with the team that drafted him 16th overall in 2023. Given his draft pedigree, there’s no doubt he has talent. However, it simply didn’t work out for him in Washington.

Perhaps it will with the Los Angeles Rams after being claimed off waivers a week ago. Forbes was inactive in Sunday’s win over the Bills but he has a chance to play against the 49ers on Thursday night, especially if Cobie Durant misses time with a bruised lung.

Defensive coordinator Chris Shula praised Forbes’ ability to pick up the defense quickly and he says the young cornerback has impressed in practice.

“He’s a guy that has really picked it up above the neck,” Shula said Tuesday. “He’s very smart. He looked good and he took a few reps last week. He played some scout team and looked really good physically last week. This week you can tell he’s even grown a little more. We haven’t practiced yet but just throwing them in there in the walkthroughs, you can tell football makes sense to him. We’re going to do whatever suits the game plan best and maybe we’ll see him out there.”

After playing 14 games last season, Forbes has suited up in just six games this year and has played a total of 109 defensive snaps. That’s the equivalent of about two games for a starter, so he hasn’t been on the field much.

Even if he’s active against the 49ers this week, it’ll likely be as a reserve rather than a full-time starter. But it is encouraging to hear that he’s making progress in his brief time in Los Angeles so far.

Emmanuel Forbes has a chance to make Rams debut vs. 49ers this week

Emmanuel Forbes has a chance to make his Rams debut on Thursday, especially if Cobie Durant is out with a lung injury

Emmanuel Forbes is only in his second week with the Los Angeles Rams but his new team may need him sooner rather than later. After sitting out Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills, Forbes has a chance to make his debut this week when the Rams face the San Francisco 49ers.

Sean McVay left the door open for Forbes to play on Thursday night, particularly if Cobie Durant is forced to miss the game with a lung contusion. Durant’s status could determine whether Forbes suits up or not, but there’s at least a possibility he’ll take the field.

“If Cobie Durant’s status is affected, then that could definitely impact Emmanuel Forbes and some of the things that we do,” McVay said Monday.

Forbes was just claimed by the Rams last week after he was cut by the Washington Commanders, so he’s new to the team. He practiced all week and is healthy, but he’s still learning the defense and getting acclimated to Los Angeles’ system.

The Rams do have Ahkello Witherspoon and Josh Wallace available if Durant can’t play, so Forbes may not be the next man up. More likely, he’ll be a backup in case of emergency, but simply having him available will be a plus.

Is Emmanuel Forbes playing Sunday? Latest news on Rams CB’s status for Week 14

The Rams just added Emmanuel Forbes off waivers this week. Here’s the latest on his status for Sunday’s game against the Bills.

The Los Angeles Rams welcomed a new face to their secondary this week when they claimed cornerback Emmanuel Forbes off waivers from the Washington Commanders. Forbes, the 16th overall pick in the 2023 draft, was surprisingly cut by the Commanders and the Rams saw enough potential in him to put in a waiver claim.

Forbes practiced all week with his new team, but will he make his Rams debut on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills? Sean McVay provided the latest updates on the second-year cornerback Friday.

Emmanuel Forbes Week 14 status

Forbes won’t play for the Rams this week. He’s fully healthy, but the team is going to take it slow with the cornerback as he gets acclimated to his new situation. He still has a defense to learn and a playbook to study, so he’s not quite ready to suit up for Los Angeles.

“Forbes will continue to just take it a day at a time,” McVay said. “I know he and Aubrey [Pleasant] have been able to spend some good time together. He’s looked really good in some of these practice settings. You can see his movement and he is getting up to speed with some of the things that we’re asking. It’s been good having both those guys out there.”

When will Emmanuel Forbes make Rams debut?

McVay didn’t say when Forbes will play for the Rams, only specifying that the team will take it a day at a time with him. It’s encouraging to hear that Forbes has looked good in practice.

The Rams have a quick turnaround after Sunday’s game as they’ll face the 49ers on Thursday night, so Week 16 might be a more realistic target date for Forbes.

Rams CB depth chart

Darious Williams and Cobie Durant will continue to be the top cornerbacks for Los Angeles, with Ahkello Witherspoon and Josh Wallace also contributing if needed. Quentin Lake typically plays slot corner, too.

Rams DC Chris Shula says LA ‘loved’ Emmanuel Forbes in the 2023 draft

Chris Shula is excited to have Emmanuel Forbes in Los Angeles, saying the Rams “loved him coming out” of Mississippi State in 2023

As they often do, the Los Angeles Rams sat out the first round of the 2023 NFL draft. They had to wait until the 36th overall pick to make their first selection, so they never had a chance to draft Emmanuel Forbes.

Lucky for them, he landed on the waiver wire this week after the Washington Commanders shockingly cut him less than two years after drafting him 16th overall. The Rams pounced on the opportunity to bring in the young cornerback, claiming him off waivers and adding him to their secondary.

Defensive coordinator Chris Shula is excited about Forbes’ arrival and he told reporters on Thursday that the Rams “loved him coming out” in 2023, specifically mentioning how much Aubrey Pleasant and Raheem Morris liked what they saw on film.

“He looked good. He looked comfortable. We loved him coming out,” Shula said. “I was coaching linebackers when he was coming out. I remember and Raheem watching his tape and they loved him in the SEC. He had a ton of ball production and you see how smooth he is catching the ball. You see how comfortable he is out there. We definitely have some of the best DB coaches when it comes to developing talent and developing those guys. He’s in great hands with Aubrey, so we’re really excited to see him continue to grow.”

We’ll never know how high Forbes was on the Rams’ draft board, but they’re thrilled to have him on the team now – and they didn’t even have to use a pick on him. Sean McVay even said he was surprised Los Angeles got him because he thought another team ahead of the Rams in the waiver order was going to claim him.

Forbes isn’t expected to make his Rams debut this weekend but given the lack of depth at cornerback, he’ll have a chance to contribute at some point this season. And if he doesn’t get on the field in 2024, the Rams have him under contract for at least two more years.

Rams fans all had the same thought about Emmanuel Forbes’ first practice video

The Rams shared a video of Emmanuel Forbes at his first practice and fans all had the same thought after watching it

There’s a lot of excitement among Los Angeles Rams fans after the team claimed 2023 first-round cornerback Emmanuel Forbes off waivers this week. Though he’s struggled in the NFL thus far, he’s still less than two years removed from being the 16th overall pick in the draft so he still has time to turn things around.

That excitement, however, may have ticked down a notch on Wednesday after the Rams shared a video of Forbes at his first practice with his new team. Everyone in the replies on X (formerly Twitter) had the same thought about Forbes: He sure is…skinny.

It’s hard not to notice how slender his frame is, particularly his lower half where players get so much of their power and explosiveness.

Here are some of the replies to seeing Forbes on the practice field for the first time.

The replies go on and on and on, but you get the point.

Coming out of Mississippi State, one of the biggest concerns about Forbes as a prospect was his weight. At the NFL combine, he weighed in at 166 pounds, making him one of the lightest players in the league. Tutu Atwell, for comparison, weighed 155 pounds at the combine but he’s only 5-foot-9. Forbes is 6-1, so his frame is wiry thin.

His slimmer stature isn’t the only reason things didn’t work out but it was absolutely a red flag in the pre-draft process – and it doesn’t seem like he’s added any weight since then.

Hopefully he has more success with the Rams than he did in Washington because there’s certainly a need for cornerback help in Los Angeles that he’ll have a chance to fill in the next two years.

Emmanuel Forbes unlikely to make Rams debut vs. Bills on Sunday

Sean McVay indicated that Emmanuel Forbes is unlikely to make his Rams debut this week against the Bills

Rams fans will have to wait a little while to watch the team’s newest cornerback, Emmanuel Forbes. Rams head coach Sean McVay said Forbes is unlikely to make his team debut this weekend when Los Angeles hosts the Bills.

At his Wednesday press conference, McVay cited Forbes’ unfamiliarity with the defense and playbook as the reasons behind his decision.

https://x.com/stujrams/status/1864430700994416697?s=46

While the move makes the most sense, especially when dealing with a player who needs a hot start to rebuild his confidence, it is a bit disappointing for Rams fans that they will have to wait to watch a player as talented as Forbes take the field.

However, the move will allow Forbes to not only get acclimated with the team but it will allow the team time to institute their patented program in rehabbing player’s careers.

According to former NFL DB Terrell Buckley, Forbes “is a very good player that still needs some development. As soon as he learns what it means to be a pro, he will take off.”

Buckley was instrumental in recruiting Forbes to Mississippi State.

With Darious Williams, Cobie Durant, and Ahkello Witherspoon listed ahead of Forbes on the depth chart, expect Forbes’ involvement to gradually increase over time. With two years remaining on his contract and a potential fifth year option that the Rams do not need to make a decision on till after next season, there’s plenty of time to mold Forbes into the player he can be.

Rams claim 2023 first-round pick off waivers

Rams claim 2023 first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes off waivers from the Commanders after his rough NFL start

It’s hard to picture a more disastrous start to a career than the one that Emmanuel Forbes Jr. is experiencing so far. After being the 16th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Forbes suffered a brutal rookie season. Forbes followed it up the following season with seeing very little playing time before being ultimately cut by the Washington Commanders.

Forbes will have a chance to make a career rebound with the Los Angeles Rams who claimed the former first-rounder. Sean McVay and his entire coaching staff have proven time and time again to be great developers of talent, and they will have their work cut out for them with the undersized defensive back.

Ironically enough, the team most notable for never having a first-round pick has made a habit of snagging everyone else’s when their time on their original roster is through. It’s going to be a tough road ahead for Forbes who seems simply physically outmatched at the NFL level, but if McVay can find a spot for him somewhere on defense, he could turn his career around.

Here’s what Sean McVay said about the Rams claiming Emmanuel Forbes

Emmanuel Forbes’ ball skills, versatility and competitive toughness stood out to Sean McVay when watching his tape

It’s rare for a first-round pick to be released less than two years after being drafted but that’s exactly the situation Emmanuel Forbes found himself in on Saturday. The Washington Commanders waived the second-year cornerback 19 months after drafting him with the 16th overall pick and the Los Angeles Rams pounced on the opportunity to add him to their secondary.

The Rams claimed him off waivers, giving the struggling cornerback a shot in Los Angeles. Forbes probably won’t contribute right away but he could have a future with the Rams, especially considering he’s signed through the 2026 season.

Sean McVay commented on the Rams’ decision to claim Forbes during his media session Monday, sharing what he likes about the young cornerback’s game.

“(He’s) a player that we liked as part of the evaluation process coming out a couple of years ago out of Mississippi State,” McVay said. “He had a lot of ball production and had some good tape out there, even when we played them last year. He showed versatility, showed competitive toughness on the edge, and good ball skills. A guy that I don’t know too much about personally, but Kam Curl was excited to be able to reunite with him. We’ll get him in here and get him acclimated to the building, but he was a guy that we liked and had a familiarity with just based on the evaluation coming out of Mississippi State and then I thought there was some good tape that he’s put out there when we’ve gone against him, particularly later in the year last year.”

During his appearance on the “Coach McVay Show” after his press conference, McVay talked further about what Forbes brings to the table as a corner. Once again, he talked about his toughness, mentioning his willingness to help in run support – something the Rams put a lot of value in.

“A guy that can come up and play press,” McVay said. “I think he’s got the ability to be able to play visually. He’s tough. He’s a leaner build but he’s showed some competitive toughness if he’s asked to come up in run support. We played against him last year when we played Washington later on in the season and I thought he had some good tape.”

In the Rams 28-20 win over the Commanders last season, Forbes only played six snaps. He wasn’t targeted and didn’t allow a catch, so it’s not as if he put much tape in that game.

There are obvious weaknesses in Forbes’ game, including his tackling (he missed 46.2% of the time this season) and physicality as a slimmer cornerback. However, the Rams clearly think they can turn him into an impactful player in the secondary and it’s not as if they’re risking much by bringing him in.

Contract details and salary cap impact of Rams claiming Emmanuel Forbes

Here’s how claiming Emmanuel Forbes impacts the Rams’ salary cap this year and in the next two seasons

Needing help at cornerback, the Los Angeles Rams took a chance on Emmanuel Forbes when they claimed him off waivers on Monday. Forbes, the 16th overall pick in the 2023 draft, was waived by the Washington Commanders this weekend after less than two seasons but the Rams see some potential in him despite his struggles up to this point.

Forbes wasn’t a free agent so he couldn’t pick his next team, and because he was claimed off waivers, he’ll keep his current contract as a member of the Rams. That means Los Angeles takes on the remainder of his rookie deal signed with the Commanders, which runs through the 2026 season.

The salary cap impact is minimal this year but Forbes still has $5.4 million fully guaranteed on his deal through 2026. Below are the full details of Forbes’ remaining contract with the Rams, including his base salaries and cap hits for the next two years (via Over The Cap).

One of the benefits that comes with claiming Forbes is the fifth-year option. As a first-round pick, Forbes has a fifth-year option built into his rookie contract, which gives the Rams an extra year of control if they want to keep him on the team in 2027.

They’ll have to exercise that option before the 2026 season, and the cost will be significantly higher than his current salary. Assuming he doesn’t make a Pro Bowl or earn playtime bonuses, his fifth-year option will be an average of the third to 25th-highest salaries among cornerbacks in 2027.

That might be too expensive for the Rams’ liking but if he plays well in Los Angeles, it’ll be worth considering.

Sean McVay was surprised Rams landed Emmanuel Forbes: ‘I didn’t actually think we’d get him’

Sean McVay was pleasantly surprised no teams ahead of the Rams claimed Emmanuel Forbes off waivers

The Los Angeles Rams made a small splash on Monday when they claimed former first-round cornerback Emmanuel Forbes off waivers. The Washington Commanders surprisingly cut ties with Forbes on Saturday after just a year and a half, sending him to the waiver wire for any of the other 31 teams to claim him.

To the surprise of Sean McVay, the Rams managed to land the second-year cornerback out of Mississippi State.

That’s right. McVay didn’t think the Rams would actually be able to get him based on the fact that they were 16th in the waiver order. Any of the 15 teams ahead of them could’ve claimed Forbes, but they passed on the 23-year-old and let him fall all the way to the Rams.

“This is a reflection of very rarely do some guys that (are) recent evals that are high-ranked come available,” McVay said on the “Coach McVay Show” a few hours after the Rams claimed Forbes. “I didn’t actually think we’d get him because of where we’re at in the claim order, so we were pleased that we were able to get him. We’ll add him to the mix, we’ll get to know him and we’ll see where he fits. But that was kind of a simple thing that came to fruition.”

It’s unclear if any of the 16 teams behind the Rams in the waiver order tried to claim Forbes, but we do know none of the 15 ahead of them put in a claim for the FBS’ all-time leader in pick-sixes.

There’s no denying the fact that Forbes struggled in Washington and quickly fell out of favor in the secondary, but the Rams now have him under contract through 2026 with the possibility of exercising his fifth-year option in 2027 if he plays well enough.

It’s a low-risk, high-reward addition for a Rams team that badly needs cornerback help in the years to come.