Emmanuel Forbes Jr. is facing a career crossroads just 1.5 seasons into his professional career. Previous head coach Ron Rivera thought he could bring a shutdown, opportunistic presence to the Washington Commanders' cornerback room, picking him over Christian Gonzalez in the 2023 NFL Draft. Unfortunately for the player, his lack of size and poor consistency means the jury is still out.
The fact Forbes wasn't active in Week 6 at the Baltimore Ravens was another setback. Dan Quinn stated this was to use another defensive lineman versus quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry, but preferring Mike Davis and Noah Igbinoghene shows how far down the pecking order he is in a cornerback unit not exactly blessed with genuine quality.
Things don't look especially promising for Forbes. All hope is not lost just yet, but it's a long road back. And make no mistake, general manager Adam Peters won't hesitate to cut the cord ahead of time if he feels like it's the right thing to do.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn challenges Emmanuel Forbes Jr. to improve
Until then, Forbes must keep fighting and developing. That was the message relaid to the defensive back by Quinn, who believes this is the only way the former Mississippi State star can seize the moment if another opportunity arrives.
"I had that conversation specifically and kind of reminded him it’s not always going to be this rocky. By the work that you put in, the things that you want to emphasize, and then you work like hell to go improve upon those specific things and the chance is going to come back around. And when it does, you want to be able to go nail it. But the reason you can is because all the work that you put in, so when that chance comes again, you say, ‘Okay, I’ve put the work in, I’m ready to go do it.’ So, that was my message to him about the readiness and that next chance, it’s going to be there again and absolutely be ready for it."
- Dan Quinn via USA Today Sports
That might come this weekend against the Carolina Panthers. They have some dynamic, explosive wide receivers. Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton is limited, but he knows how to get the football out on time behind an offensive line that's rapidly emerged into an area of strength. For all Forbes' faults, he's fast. Whether it's enough for Quinn to get him involved is another matter.
Forbes must take on this advice, get his head down, and work hard to improve his craft. Quinn seemed to indicate another chance would arrive when confidence in his performance levels increased. There was no timeline offered, so it'll be interesting to see how the player responds after the head coach challenged the No. 16 overall selection.
The Commanders spent an early part of their week trying out several players, including former All-Pro cornerback Kyle Fuller. That indicates Peters isn't happy with the options available and wants to strengthen to enhance Washington's chances of winning the NFC East. There's also the small matter of being more aggressive at the trade deadline to factor into the equation.
If that doesn't bring some extra urgency from Forbes, nothing will.
