Cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. has been ruled out for the Washington Commanders’ Week 2 home game against the New York Giants, head coach Dan Quinn confirmed during his Friday press conference.
Defensive end Clelin Ferrell and safety Quan Martin were also added to the injury report with knee and hamstring injuries, respectively. Both are questionable for Sunday’s game.
Forbes injured his wrist during the Commanders’ game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After practicing fully on Wednesday, he was limited on Thursday and missed Friday’s practice due to surgery. However, Quinn mentioned that Forbes won’t need to go on Injured Reserve.
Veterans Michael Davis and Noah Igbinoghene will step in as the starting cornerbacks in Forbes’ absence. Igbinoghene, who replaced Forbes in Week 1, recorded a tackle and a pass breakup during the game. Davis and Igbinoghene are among the Commanders’ most experienced defensive backs, with a combined 146 games played. Davis has been a starter for the Los Angeles Chargers for the past five seasons and has recorded at least one interception every season since 2019.
Rookie defensive tackle Johnny Newton is making steady progress in his recovery. Quinn expressed optimism about the second-round pick and said the coaching staff will evaluate him further on Saturday before deciding if he will play. Newton’s return would strengthen a defensive line that managed only one sack against the Buccaneers, which could be key against Giants’ quarterback Daniel Jones, who has a 5-1-1 record against Washington.
Other players on Washington’s injury report—tight end Zach Ertz, safety Tyler Owens, offensive tackle Brandon Coleman, running back Brian Robinson Jr., and offensive tackle Trent Scott—were full participants in Friday’s practice and are expected to play against the Giants.