3 Commanders who cannot afford to regress at 2024 training camp

Emmanuel Forbes - Commanders CB

Emmanuel Forbes began pretty well. He came in and looked the part. But somewhere along the line, the wheels fell off and the No. 16 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft lost his confidence.

The reason for this is up for debate. Whether it was his fault or the lack of proper coaching by Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio may never be known. Forbes has talent. That's not up for discussion.

Forbes has great length and playmaking skills. Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. must unearth these exciting traits once again.

The former Mississippi State star's margin for error is slimmer under more disciplined coaches. The Commanders brought in corners in both free agency and the draft. This was a surefire sign those in power saw this group as a potential weak link.

Does this mean that Forbes has been cast aside already? No. Not even close.

Forbes finds himself in quite a predicament heading into Washington's training camp. He is top of the list of players looking to re-establish themselves in pursuit of playing time. Unlike many of the others in similar positions, he may be the biggest wild card of them all. Can he recover from a lackluster rookie campaign that saw him get benched?

Forbes could wind up as the Commanders' top cornerback option if everything goes well, tasked once more with guarding the other team's primary wideout. If not, he could find himself as far down as the No. 3 option behind Benjamin St-Juste and Michael Davis.

Things could go either way where Forbes is concerned. The ballhawk needs to not have just another good training camp, but a superb one.

It's time for Forbes to stand out and show why he was such a high draft pick. Otherwise, concerns will only rise about his long-term future with the Commanders.