The Washington Commanders have seen a lot of high-end draft picks fall by the wayside. It's why general manager Adam Peters had to start from scratch, and the growing pains have been evident this season after a sensational first year under his leadership.
Most players the Commanders have disposed of haven't caught on elsewhere. A couple are starting to pick things up, which also includes much-maligned cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr.
The No. 16 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft was released last season when he fell out of favor. Forbes was never going to fit head coach Dan Quinn's defensive scheme, so they cut this failed experiment short way ahead of time. The Los Angeles Rams picked him up, which turned out to be the best possible landing spot for a career renaissance.
Former Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. was woeful against the Panthers
Forbes has done exceptionally well in recent weeks. His starring performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a testament to how far he's come. But the undersized cornerback delivered a painful reminder of his glaring flaws as the Rams suffered a devastating upset loss to the Carolina Panthers.
When the Panthers needed a big play through the air, Forbes was the target. Jalen Coker, in particular, had tremendous success against the corner, gaining a touchdown pass on a critical fourth down. The ex-Washington player also got burned by first-round rookie Tetairoa McMillan for another score, rounding off a miserable afternoon at the office.
This is the rough part of depending heavily on Forbes. He's a feast or famine player who doesn't have the required positional sense to be consistent, especially against bigger wideouts. The Mississippi State product is on the right track, but these errors don't seem to be going away anytime soon.
The Commanders were correct to move on from Forbes. This wasn't a good fit, and his confidence was sapped beyond repair in Washington. Peters has some questions to answer in his cornerback unit this offseason, but letting the Grenada High School graduate depart was the only viable option.
The Rams will be hoping this lackluster showing from Forbes is a blip rather than anything more concerning. Los Angeles lost the game and the NFC's No. 1 seed, even though most expected a blowout. It's not a game the corner will remember with any great fondness, but how he responds to adversity will be telling.
Because any more performances like this, and the Rams will have a significant problem on their hands at the worst possible time.