Emmanuel Forbes' benching leaves Commanders' prospects in tatters

Emmanuel Forbes Jr. got a big chance at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. The Washington Commanders placed him among the starting cornerbacks for their Week 1 opener, which was another massive confidence boost for the player following a largely underwhelming rookie campaign.

Forbes was confident in his ability to bounce back from adversity. The former first-round pick out of Mississippi State is held to a higher standard than most based on his draft status. After a woeful joint practice against the New York Jets, general manager Adam Peters praised the figure for the way he's progressed under the improved coaching staff at Washington's disposal.

Doing it at training camp is one thing. Putting it together in a competitive environment is all that matters when push comes to shove. Forbes fell flat of this versus the prolific tandem of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and was eventually taken out of the firing line in the second quarter in favor of Noah Igbinoghene.

Emmanuel Forbes' career with Commanders is in legitimate peril

This was another devastating blow to Forbes' chances of carving out a successful career for himself. The leash is getting shorter with every poor performance. If the same trend continues throughout the campaign, it won't be long before Peters removes him from the equation entirely.

It's yet another hurdle for the player to overcome. Forbes is willing enough, but he doesn't have the physical presence to make tackles count and suffers from concentration issues in coverage. All hope is not lost just yet, but this was a worrying development.

Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. pulling Forbes was the right thing to do. It's also a damning indictment of how his talents are being perceived. This is a huge test of character for the defensive back - one that will likely determine what his long-term outlook is in Washington.

Patience is wearing thin with Forbes among the fanbase and with the coaching staff. The apple of Ron Rivera's eye during his last draft as the primary decision-maker looks a long way off being the shutdown presence the previous head coach envisaged. After an indifferent showing right out of the gate, his situation becomes even more precarious.

What comes next is down to Forbes. However, things are not looking too promising right now.

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