Commanders' camp crash course sparks life into Emmanuel Forbes Jr.

Emmanuel Forbes Jr.'s rookie campaign didn't go according to plan. His development was mismanaged by the previous regime. What's important now is turning the page and focusing on providing a positive contribution under Dan Quinn's exceptional coaching staff.

Forbes worked hard to add some muscle mass throughout the offseason. The cornerback was bullied almost constantly by physically imposing wide receivers before and after he was benched in 2023. Many questioned whether the Washington Commanders made the right call taking him over Christian Gonzalez at No. 16 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, which was understandable in the circumstances.

It's early days at training camp, but Forbes is already showing signs of life. The Commanders gave him a starting spot on the outside opposite Benjamin St-Juste in their core base defense. This was a supreme vote of confidence in his potential to bounce back. Capitalizing on it to secure prominent involvement is imperative.

Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. are keen to give Forbes all he can handle as part of his development. This involves going up against Pro Bowl wide receiver Terry McLaurin constantly during drills and scrimmages.

McLaurin is one of the league's most underrated wide receivers and a high-caliber performer. There's been plenty of back and forth between the Ohio State product and Forbes over the opening exchanges of camp. This was especially evident on Day 2 when the wideout beat him deep but the second-year pro immediately responded with an impressive pass defense downfield.

More importantly, there's an aggressiveness attached to Forbes' play that was missing last season. That's arguably the biggest positive above all else.

This is an integral part of Forbes' learning curve. Going up against the best is only going to hone his craft. It'll also provide Quinn with a broader indication of how much more there is to do in pursuit of getting the former Mississippi State star up to the required standard.

It's been an impressive start overall over the first few days of camp for Forbes. Quinn also stated that he's put on 15-18 pounds to help cope better with the physicality aspect of playing the position. While some are skeptical of that statement, it's a sign that there is a genuine plan in place and the player is responding positively.

The next big test will be when the pads go on early next week. Things get more intense and mindsets change. It's a challenge Forbes didn't cope well enough with last season. Altering this trajectory - especially when tasked with going up versus McLaurin - would be another big step in the right direction.

Washington didn't do much to strengthen their outside cornerback options throughout Adam Peters' roster makeover. They believe Forbes has the skills to be an asset. His training camp crash course might provide the spark that unlocks the defensive back's true potential moving forward.

Most fans are approaching Forbes' outlook under more accomplished coaches with cautious optimism. If he can't develop in this sort of environment, there's no hope. But it's encouraging to see some added spice attached to his production - something that suggests he's not going to go down without a fight.