The Washington Commanders whiffed on Emmanuel Forbes Jr. Ron Rivera chose him over Christian Gonzalez, and the repercussions were severe. But it’s starting to look like a fresh start has galvanized the oft-criticized cornerback.
Forbes was released during his second season in Washington. There weren’t many tears shed, given how lackluster the No. 16 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft became. He was a weak link that the coaching staff didn’t trust, but the Los Angeles Rams saw something in the player that could be salvaged.
The Rams brought Forbes along gradually over the second half of 2024. Building back his confidence was the first objective. After that, it was about playing to his strengths more effectively. And the improvements have been there for all to see on a leading contender for the Super Bowl.
Emmanuel Forbes Jr. is coming to life after early Commanders departure
Forbes put together arguably the best performance of his professional career against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 11. The Rams placed a significant amount of faith in the Mississippi State product, matching him up with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba throughout. It was a massive leap of faith from head coach Sean McVay, but it paid off handsomely.
According to Next Gen Stats, Forbes was matched up against Smith-Njigba 20 times, the most of any cornerback this season. He allowed three receptions from five targets for 30 receiving yards, equating to 1.5 yards per route. That is a season low for the explosive pass-catcher, and the defensive back also came up with a touchdown-saving pass breakup to round off an exceptional display.
Emmanuel Forbes had perfect timing on the PBU ❌
SEAvsLAR on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/pxBYmopOxP
— NFL (@NFL) November 16, 2025
Sometimes it’s not about where you get drafted. It’s about what happens after, and the Commanders put too much on Forbes’ plate that he couldn’t recover from.
The Rams went in a different direction, polishing his skills before getting him heavily involved. It’s far from perfect, but it’s night and day compared to anything Forbes put together in Washington.
This doesn’t change anything for the Commanders. They had every right to move on from Forbes, and the Rams’ scheme clearly suits his athletic attributes better. Performing so well against one of the league’s hottest receivers is a testament to how far he’s come since things fell flat with the team that drafted him.
As for the Commanders? They’ll probably be in the hunt for another productive cornerback this offseason. Trey Amos and Mike Sainristil will be around, but there is a good chance the rest won’t. And four-time Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore could be out the door with $18.5 million in savings attached.
Forbes is coming to life. And all Commanders fans can do is shake their heads in disbelief.
