Things have not gone well for the Washington Commanders this season. Aging players have regressed, and potential breakout candidates haven't met the bar they set for themselves. There is no bigger example of this than Quan Martin.
Most Commanders fans thought Martin was in line for a legitimate surge this season. His first two years in the league were decent, and he grew in stature throughout Washington's playoff run. Unfortunately, the 2023 second-round pick has taken a step back.
Martin's been lackluster in coverage. His angles in pursuit are hesitant and lack conviction. The number of missed tackles occurring is simply unacceptable, and head coach Dan Quinn's decision to reduce his playing time in Week 11 was a damning indictment of his overall progress.
Darrick Forrest was clearly reveling in Quan Martin's misery with Commanders
This didn't go unnoticed by one of his old teammates. Darrick Forrest took a not-so-subtle swipe in a vain attempt to bolster his own credentials during his time in Washington. And it wasn't exactly hard to figure out who the defensive back was referring to.
And yall let the 🤡’s on X convince yall I couldn’t cover or tackle #Terrible 😂👎🏾
— Darrick Forrest Jr. 🕴🏽 (@_Dfoe5) November 18, 2025
Forrest could have been talking about anything, of course. Even so, the timing is probably no coincidence.
The former Cincinnati standout clearly feels aggrieved by the way he was treated by the current regime in Washington. Forrest was touted as a potential franchise cornerstone piece once upon a time, but injuries derailed his momentum considerably. When Quinn and Adam Peters came on board, they signed Jeremy Chinn and moved Martin to the backend. This left the old starter on the outside looking in.
Washington moved on from Forrest when his contract expired this spring. He's found it challenging to catch on elsewhere, having brief spells with the Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts, and Pittsburgh Steelers. The 2021 fifth-round pick is currently searching for a new opportunity, which only raises his bitterness about how things concluded with the team that drafted him.
As for Martin? He needs a considerable effort to turn the tide. Quinn allocating some of his reps to others against the Miami Dolphins indicates that he is running out of chances. Unless there are substantial improvements after the bye, the Commanders might opt to go in a different direction during the 2026 offseason.
Forrest knows all about that. But that didn't stop him from reveling in the misery of those he once shared a locker room with.
That doesn't change his bleak career outlook, but it probably made him feel a little bit better. If not, it was a pointless exercise.