From the moment the Washington Commanders selected cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. with the 16th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, things never quite seemed settled. Less than two seasons later, on November 30, they released him.
Doubts about Forbes began early, focusing on his size—standing 6-foot-1 but weighing only 166 pounds—and whether he could withstand the challenges of NFL competition. Those questions were quickly answered during his rookie season, as Forbes endured multiple benchings and a particularly rough Week 4 outing where Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown dominated him with 9 receptions for 175 yards and 2 touchdowns.
The struggles continued into the 2024 season, which saw Forbes miss a month after breaking his thumb in the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Now a free agent, the former Mississippi State standout addressed his release on X (formerly Twitter) with a post quoting a Bible verse, Job 8:7-17, accompanied by two prayer-hand emojis. According to BibleGateway.com, the verse reads: “Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.”
Forbes Likely Won’t Stay Unemployed For Long
With plenty of teams needing cornerback depth as the season progresses, it’s likely Emmanuel Forbes won’t remain a free agent for long.
Bleacher Report identified cornerback as the “Biggest Weakness” for five teams entering Week 13, including Super Bowl and playoff contenders like the Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Chargers, and Cincinnati Bengals.
“Sunday’s win over the Bears was much closer than the Vikings would have liked,” wrote Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder. “Minnesota’s secondary again looked like a liability…”
Commanders Should Have Tried to Trade Forbes
It could be seen as a significant oversight if Washington general manager Adam Peters didn’t at least explore trade options for Emmanuel Forbes, potentially convincing another team to part with a late-round pick for the cornerback who set an FBS record with six interception returns for touchdowns.
The fact that the Commanders couldn’t secure even a low draft pick for a Top 20 selection from just a year ago likely reflects more on the barrage of negative offseason coverage about Forbes—criticizing his slender frame and four-year, $15.4 million contract—than on his actual ability.
“First-round picks aren’t usually on the trade block before they’re halfway through their second season, but Forbes is a unique case,” ESPN’s Bill Barnwell noted on October 17. “He’s likely the sixth cornerback on Washington’s depth chart and is owed over $6 million guaranteed over the next three years, which the [Commanders] might prefer to allocate elsewhere. However, if a team still views Forbes as the dynamic playmaker he was in college, three years of a young cornerback at $6 million could be a bargain.”
Forbes wrapped up his rookie season with 38 tackles, 11 pass deflections, and 1 interception across 14 games (6 starts). However, Pro Football Focus (PFF) assigned him a rookie grade of just 50.9, with a particularly poor 28.9 grade against the run—the worst among NFL cornerbacks.
In six games during the 2024 season, Forbes has struggled further, earning a PFF grade of 35.4 while allowing 7 receptions on 9 targets, though he did manage 1 interception.
