Tag: Emmanuel Forbes

Former Commanders 1st-round pick Emmanuel Forbes has a new home

Emmanuel Forbes has a new home.

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.

Rams claim former 1st-round CB Emmanuel Forbes off waivers

The Rams are taking a shot on former first-round cornerback Emmanuel Forbes after he was waived by the Commanders

The Los Angeles Rams have never been afraid to take a shot on a player who fell out of favor elsewhere and they’re doing so again this season. On Monday, the Rams claimed former Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes off waivers. Washington surprisingly cut the 2023 first-round pick on Saturday and the Rams are giving him a fresh start in Los Angeles.

Forbes was the 16th overall pick in the 2023 draft out of Mississippi State but he struggled in his year and a half with the Commanders. He’s played in 20 games and made just seven starts, allowing 46 receptions on 69 targets in the last two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus.

By claiming him off waivers, the Rams take on the remainder of his contract, which comes with an average annual salary of $3.85 million per year. His rookie deal runs through 2026, with a fifth-year option in 2027 if the Rams want to pick it up.

The Rams could use help at cornerback behind Cobie Durant and Darious Williams, who were the only two corners to play multiple snaps in Sunday’s win over the Saints.

They do have Ahkello Witherspoon, Josh Wallace and Charles Woods on the depth chart, so Forbes will be competing with them for playing time the rest of the season.

Should Giants kick the tires on Emmanuel Forbes?

Should the New York Giants consider signing second-year cornerback Emmanuel Forbes if he clears waivers on Monday afternoon?

The Washington Commanders waived the white flag on their 2023 first-round pick late last week, releasing the 23-year-old Emmanuel Forbes.

A former 16th overall pick, Forbes appeared in just 20 games (seven starts) over the past two seasons, recording 45 tackles (37 solo), 12 passes defensed, and two interceptions. He earned a Pro Football Focus grade of 50.9 as a rookie but a grade of just 35.4 this year.

Forbes has struggled to make the NFL transition and his time in Washington proves that. He’s been poor in coverage and even worse as a tackler, which likely has to do with his size (6-foot, 180 pounds).

But should the New York Giants still be interested?

Perhaps a fresh start in a new location is what Forbes needs, and the Giants certainly have holes at cornerback. Deonte Banks has underwhelmed and there’s little outside depth beyond him.

Rookie Andru Phillips has flashed inside, while Cor’Dale Flott has held his own in an unexpected role. Veteran Adoree’ Jackson appears to have little left in the tank.

The Giants need bodies at the position and should Forbes clear waivers on Monday at 4:00 p.m. ET, he could become an intriguing low-cost option.

If the team can bring Forbes in on a league-minimum deal, they could evaluate him over the final five weeks of the season to determine if he’s worthy of a new contract or even a reserve/futures deal.

General manager Joe Schoen hasn’t made many solid personnel decisions but kicking the tires on Forbes at a minimal price seems like a low-cost, potentially high-reward style signing.

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Why did the Commanders release Emmanuel Forbes?

Why did the Commanders move on from Emmanuel Forbes? And what did Dan Quinn say to him?

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.

Dan Quinn should be NFL Coach of the Year for inheriting Ron Rivera’s mess

Saturday’s release of Emmanuel Forbes is further proof of the mess Adam Peters and Dan Quinn inherited.

Another chapter of the miserable four-year reign of Ron Rivera was closed on Saturday. The Washington Commanders released 2023 first-round cornerback Emmanuel Forbes after only 20 games played for the franchise.

The news wasn’t a surprise. Besides a thumb injury that cost him some time early in the season, Forbes has been a healthy scratch for weeks. Over the last five games, Forbes played eight total defensive snaps and was either inactive or did not play in three of those five games.

Head coach Dan Quinn and his staff, known for developing defensive backs, had seen enough of Forbes. With the release of Forbes, none of Rivera’s four first-round picks are in Washington anymore. The Commanders traded Chase Young (2020) last season, released Jamin Davis (2021) this season, traded Jahan Dotson (2022) in the summer, and now waive Forbes.

That’s some historic ineptitude.

That begs the question: What did Rivera accomplish in four years? Don’t even start about the culture. Anytime Rivera was even pushed about his lack of success, the excuses began, starting with the culture. He was changing the culture. Here’s the funny thing: right guard Sam Cosmi didn’t even understand what culture meant until Quinn arrived and actually changed the culture this past offseason.

Never forget Rivera and the Super Bowl comments.

“I don’t worry about being on the hot seat, Rivera said before the 2023 season. “If we go 8-8-1 this year and he fires me, and next year they win the division with 40 of the 53 players we drafted and the same quarterback? I’m vindicated, send me my Super Bowl ring.”

That aged poorly.

What did new general manager Adam Peters think of the roster Rivera left him?

Peters’ pause told you everything you needed to know and that was weeks before the new GM would take a wrecking ball to Rivera’s roster.

Heading into Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans, the Commanders sit at 7-5 on the season, currently an NFC playoff team. When you think of what Peters and Quinn inherited, it’s a small miracle this team even won seven games this season. And Washington has five games remaining.

Regardless of what you think about the Commanders’ recent slump, consider where they were. No, it doesn’t excuse the current three-game losing streak, but it should give everyone perspective. For the first in a long time, Washington has professionals in charge.

So, when you’re mad when Quinn doesn’t challenge a call or go for it on fourth down, remember where the Commanders were at this time one year ago.

Do you think Dan Quinn is scrolling social media to see what the media and fans say about him? It’s the same thing with Peters. Do you think he cares what those on the outside think of the job he’s doing? And Quinn certainly isn’t going to lecture a reporter for asking a valid question.

Regardless of what happens during the remainder of this season, Quinn should already be the NFL’s Coach of the Year for his work with the Commanders. Peters should already be the NFL’s Executive of the Year. They inherited a mess, but with five games remaining, they have the team positioned well for the playoffs—with a rookie quarterback.

The departure of Emmanuel Forbes officially closes the book on the Ron Rivera era.

Former Commanders CB Emmanuel Forbes seemingly reacts to release

How did Emmanuel Forbes react to the Commanders releasing him?

The Washington Commanders sent out a press release on Saturday afternoon at precisely 4:00 p.m. ET, revealing a few roster moves. This is no big deal, as it is customary for Washington to announce roster moves every Saturday, such as practice squad elevations for the following day’s game. However, this was different, as the Commanders announced the release of 2023 first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes. 

But before Washington revealed the news of Forbes’ release, he posted a message on his personal X account, seemingly referencing his pending release.

Here’s Forbes’ X post:

Forbes posted several verses from the Book of Job in the King James Bible, which you can read here. Forbes posted the message at 1:13 — over two hours before the team announced the move.

The No. 16 overall pick in last year’s draft finishes his Washington career appearing in 20 games with seven starts, and 45 tackles, including two for loss, 12 passes defended, and two interceptions.

Forbes is subject to waivers, and if another NFL team claims him, they take on the remainder of his rookie contract, which includes a fifth-year option.

Saints should consider recently-waived former first round cornerback

Why the Saints should consider bringing in recently-waived cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, the former Washington Commanders first-round pick:

The New Orleans Saints’ cornerback room has had quite a bit of shuffling in recent weeks, with Paulson Adebo out for the year and Marshon Lattimore being traded off to the Washington Commanders. This has left the Saints with only five cornerbacks on the 53-man roster, two of whom were just brought there in Shemar Jean-Charles and Ugo Amadi, as they both came from the practice squad. The full depth at the position is something like:

  • Alontae Taylor
  • Kool-Aid McKinstry
  • Rico Payton
  • Shemar Jean-Charles
  • Ugo Amadi (nickel)

While Alontae Taylor has played well and been exceptionally explosive, and Kool-Aid McKinstry has been solid, there has been ups and downs with the rest of the group.

Ugo Amadi against the Cleveland Browns allowed 11 receptions on 12 targets (91.7%) for 96 yards, allowing a 100.0 passer rating, while also picking up four missed tackles on 11 attempts (36.4%).

Rico Payton absolutely deserves more playing time from what we saw in preseason, as he only has 21 snaps so far this year in the four games he has been in.

Finally, Shemar Jean-Charles, who in two games has allowed 7 receptions on 10 targets for 143 yards and a touchdown, worth a 106.3 passer rating against, with 1 missed tackle on 5 attempts. While he does have an interception, that was about the extent of his highly positive plays.

So, why should the Saints consider adding Forbes?

Well, first off, you are wasting absolutely nothing to bring him in and just see if you can spend some time developing him. He would end up being a waiver claim, which means he would be added with his current rookie scale contract. The need at corner is there beyond the top two at the position, and rather than use draft capital on the position (if possible), maybe you could snag someone serviceable off waivers and make other decisions with that draft capital. If he doesn’t pan out, you lost no picks and can revert back to drafting one anyways (or re-signing Paulson Adebo if that is their preferred alternative).

You have six regular season games left this season, and the ability to develop cornerbacks at a high rate from what we have seen with Marshon Lattimore, Alontae Taylor, Kool-Aid McKinstry (so far), and even Isaac Yiadom. The scheme allows for cornerbacks to flourish as they run the 4-2-6 lineup, allowing for an extra defensive back to come on the field at the expense of a third linebacker, hence why Willie Gay or Pete Werner sub off for presumed pass downs. Ultimately this gives the Saints a chance to grab and try to develop a young cornerback without trading anything away in the process.

What has gone wrong so far in his first two seasons?

One of the biggest issues for Forbes is he has been asked to play a lot of off-coverage, where he drops before the snap and is asked to stick with the receiver. His speed and lower weight would lead you to believe this is the right call, so the logic behind that decision is sound, but the receivers have been able to leverage short routes on the outside to counter that. So how do you fix it? You let the guy who ran a 4.35 40-yard dash shadow the receiver, and consider letting him press on a few snaps to see if he can offset the timing.

The other issue in his game is he has struggled with allowing the deep ball, giving up 16.3 yards per reception in his rookie year, and this season allowing 13.3 per reception on a limited snap count. Does most of this fall on him and his inability to contest at the catch point? No doubt. But you also have to consider that the safeties behind him in Quan Martin and Jeremy Chinn have had down years in coverage as well, and you have to have some level of trust in your deep secondary to cover you over the top. The Commanders have run right around league average percentage zone coverage at 69.4%, which is slightly on the higher end of that middle group of teams. This could also be contributing to those problems as well, as zone is much more reliant on safeties in the deep game than man is, which does not suit Forbes whatsoever.

This is a similar result to what has happened with Shemar Jean-Charles and Ugo Amadi, as those two have run the highest percentage of man coverage on the team (61.8% and 62.0% respectively) and that has led to them struggling, even with Tyrann Mathieu deep. Then you look at Alontae Taylor, someone with a similar frame and play style to Forbes, and he has 57.9% zone coverage, the 101st highest percentage compared to 58th and 61st.

Why would the Saints be an optimal fit?

My belief is the Saints would be the perfect chance for Forbes to reset, find a new way to play the game, and develop with some other great defensive backs. He would have the chance to learn from a player with a similar frame and play style in Alontae Taylor, who has worked both in the slot and outside, so maybe that is ultimately where Forbes resides due to his speed and size.

The Saints have a former long-time defensive backs coach in Joe Woods running the show at defensive coordinator, and another one in Marcus Robertson working as the secondary coach. This would give Forbes the chance to learn from two minds that have specifically tailored their craft to get the best out of their secondary, which is exactly what he needs at this point in time.

Additionally, there is room for playing time as he grows over time. As previously mentioned, the cornerback position is extremely slim for the Saints, and for the future they need someone to come in and play slot with Alontae Taylor moving outside. This provides Forbes immediate opportunity to get reps if he is ready, or if not, a chance for something to work at.

Finally, Forbes would have two former teammates from his last squad to work with as well, in Chase Young and John Ridgeway III. Chase Young has been exceptional at getting pressure this season and has had a large role with the Saints over the course of the season. John Ridgeway III has also seen a snap bump in recent games, as he has 153 defensive snaps and 35 special teams snaps so far in 8 games played.

All of these could be boons to the success of Forbes, and could all help him develop into the potential he had coming into the NFL draft only one and a half years ago. Why not take a shot and see what happens if you’re the Saints?

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Social media reacts to Commanders releasing Emmanuel Forbes

The top reactions to Washington releasing Emmanuel Forbes.

Former Washington coach Ron Rivera was in the news again on Saturday. And, no, it was not for positive reasons. One day before the Commanders host the Tennessee Titans in Week 13 action, they released 2023 first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes.

Forbes’ release means all the first-round picks Rivera made in his four years as coach/GM are no longer on the roster. This unprecedented level of futility exemplifies the state of the roster that new GM Adam Peters inherited in January.

Chase Young (2020) was traded, Jamin Davis (released in October), Jahan Dotson (traded in August), and Forbes are all gone.

Washington fans have vented about Rivera for years. The rage has become louder since Peters and Dan Quinn took over and had to flip over 50% of Rivera’s roster.

On Saturday, we took to X—formerly Twitter—to react to Forbes’ release.

 

 

 

Commanders have now cut or traded away all six first-round picks from 2019-2023

Commanders have now cut or traded away all six first-round picks from 2019-2023 after waiving cornerback Emmanuel Forbes

The Emmanuel Forbes era is over in Washington, as the Commanders are waiving the former first-round pick ahead of the Week 13 game against the Tennessee Titans.

The NFL Draft is a crapshoot, and no franchise exemplifies recent failures like the Commanders. The Commanders have now cut or traded every player selected by the previous regime, with all six first-round picks from 2019-2023 no longer on the roster.

Montrez Sweat (2019) was traded, the late Dwayne Haskins (2019) was cut, Chase Young (2020) was traded, Jamin Davis (2021) was cut, Jahan Dotson (2022) was traded to the Eagles this summer, and Forbes (2023) was waived on Saturday.

The beginning of the end came for Forbes, drafted one spot ahead of Patriots star Christian Gonzalez, on October 7 of last season, when Eagles All-Pro A.J. Brown baptized Forbes to the tune of nine catches for 175 yards and two touchdowns in the win, giving Forbes Jr. his welcome to the NFL moment with an intense battle.

Brown was fined almost $11,000 for placing the football next to the then Commanders rookie cornerback after his second touchdown catch.

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Commanders DC has interesting comments about cornerbacks

The defensive coordinator had some interesting comments about Washington’s cornerbacks.

The Washington Commanders still need help at cornerback. They hope that help comes soon in the form of Marshon Lattimore. In the meantime, rookie Mike Sainristil, Benjamin St-Juste, Noah Igbinoghene and veteran Michael Davis continue to hold things down.

Did you notice a missing name?

In the past two weeks, Davis has played 49 total defensive snaps after only playing a combined nine snaps since Week. Since Week 8, 2023 first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes has played a total of eight defensive snaps. He did not play in three of those five games.

Forbes’ lack of development and St-Juste’s struggles are a major reason why GM Adam Peters traded for Lattimore at the NFL trade deadline.

In recent weeks, Sainristil has been making his case that he should remain on the outside once Lattimore is healthy enough to play. The second-round pick was initially selected to be the slot cornerback, but Washington’s struggles have led him to play more outside. He’s thrived. His best performance came in Week 11 against the Eagles, where he took turns defending A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, limiting their impact.

On Thursday, defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. was asked about Washington’s cornerback rotation.

“What we’re doing is less about what Ben’s [CB Benjamin St-Juste] doing and more about what I’ve seen from [CB] Mike [Davis] and want to see more of him,” Whitt said.

Those are interesting comments for multiple reasons. First, it’s not like Davis has stood out. Secondly, he said a lot about St-Juste without saying he’d been struggling. Finally, no mention of Forbes.

“And so, [CB] Mikey [Sainristil] has done a really nice job,” Whitt continued. “We have Ben and Mike into the boundaries, and we have them rotating every two series. And because I think he’s deserving, he’s practiced really well, and so I wanted to see more of him. So, it’s less about what Ben hasn’t done. It’s about more about what Mike has done.”

What happens when Lattimore returns? Who sits? Incredibly, the Commanders believed Forbes and St-Juste would start for them on the outside this season, with Sainristil manning the slot. While St-Juste has done some good things at times, he continues to give up big plays, including one last week at the end of the first half that handed Dallas three points.

Whitt, head coach Dan Quinn, and others can’t wait for Lattimore to debut.