Are the Commanders hyping up Emmanuel Forbes too much?

Are the Washington Commanders in danger of hyping up first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes too much before the cornerback's rookie campaign in 2023?

This time of the NFL offseason is always filled with expectations and for some teams, delusions of grandeur surrounding potential chances in 2023. But for the Washington Commanders, it's the first time in more than two decades that there is legitimate hope for the future.

Of course, this all stems from Dan Snyder finally selling the franchise he clouded in scandal and controversy. On the playing side of things, there is also a quiet sense of optimism if certain position groups make the right improvements.

Considering the limited resources at Washington's disposal, those in power deserve credit for making every cent count. They also took the necessary moves to solidify their cornerback room with two-straight defensive backs to begin the 2023 NFL Draft.

Quan Martin has position versatility and upside in equal measure. However, there's been no question about the team's star acquisition - someone that can finally provide the Commanders with a lockdown presence and propel their already talented defensive unit up another notch.

Commanders should temper expectations with Emmanuel Forbes

Many eyebrows were raised when the Commanders selected Emmanuel Forbes at No. 16 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. But based on the stories that emerged after, it's clear the cornerback was close to or right at the top of their board.

It's been an encouraging start to offseason workouts for Forbes. His ballhawk capabilities have been on full display and perhaps more importantly, the former Mississippi State star hasn't been afraid of the physical aspect when going up against the likes of John Bates, Dyami Bown, and Terry McLaurin.

This has come with rave reviews and exponential hype where Forbes is concerned. When asked about what's stood out the most with this particular player so far, Ron Rivera stated via the team's website that the eye-popping speed is right up there.

"He's looked pretty good. He's very quick. That's one of the things that he is, he's really quick. When you get those little water bug routes where the guys are trying to run options off you inside or out, he seems to handle those very well."

- Ron Rivera via Commanders.com

The Commanders have slotted Forbes as an outside option and also transitioned him to the slot for specific situations. He's handled everything superbly so far, but is the team hyping up the player a little too much all things considered?

First-year cornerbacks tend to go through more growing pains than most. Players like Sauce Gardner and Patrick Surtain Jr. are the exception to the rule, especially considering every error gets exposed in the biggest way imaginable by elite-level wide receivers.

Forbes does not have the immediate upside of Gardner and Surtain - not yet, anyway. Therefore, it's vital that expectations are tempered and the Commanders rely more on their experienced figures within the room during the rookie's initial transition to a competitive setting.

There will be growing pains and mistakes that probably result in big yardage. That's just how things work and something that the Commanders and its long-suffering fanbase should expect.

However, this does not detract from what an outstanding talent Forbes is. Even if hyping up the player to the degree we've seen over the last fortnight might be setting him up to fail.

Forbes is fully aware that nothing will be given and his accomplishments won't mean anything to those lining up on the opposite side of the field. All unnecessary hype does is increase the bullseye on his back - a challenge that the speedy secondary presence must be ready for.