Emmanuel Forbes must take notes from Trent McDuffie

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 10: Emmanuel Forbes Jr. #1 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates a turnover of downs by the Carolina Panthers during the fourth quarter in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Bank of America Stadium on January 10, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Emmanuel Forbes has never shared a locker room with a cornerback as good as Trent McDuffie, the player that the Los Angeles Rams traded for this year to help replace him and his fallen comrades. Now is the time for Forbes to take advantage of the meetings and practices he shares with McDuffie and free agent Jaylen Watson, another cornerback who can set an example for the still-young defensive back who made strides last season with three interceptions and 18 passes defensed.

Forbes is going into his fourth season, but at 25 is still younger than some rookies. He's the same age as teammate Keagen Trost, a third round pick, suggesting that despite his immediate downfall as the 16th overall pick in 2023 to being waived halfway through 2024, Forbes has time to develop and improve. McDuffie and Watson are not threats to Forbes.

They're an opportunity.

Emmanuel Forbes 2025 passes defended and interceptions.pic.twitter.com/AuVTd2Djsk

- Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) May 18, 2026

Emmanuel Forbes on Commanders

From 2023-2024, Forbes was expected to be Washington's number one cornerback right from the start of his career out of Missisippi State. He was only 22. Teammate Kendall Fuller was the veteran leader of the group, but struggled mightily and would be out of the league a year later. Some sites have blamed Fuller for allowing nine touchdowns in only 15 games.

Forbes was expected to carry the cornerback room immediately as a rookie.

Kendall Fuller in 2023:

15 games played
101.9 passer rating allowed
49 completions allowed in 79 targets
488 passing yards allowed
6 passing touchdowns allowed
2 interceptions

Xavien Howard in 2023:

13 games played
86.7 passer rating allowed
... pic.twitter.com/2dXxLuWjxg

- FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) March 19, 2024

Then at the end of the season, head coach Ron Rivera was fired, along with defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio.

Washington hired Dan Quinn to replace Rivera and overhaul the defense, leading to Forbes being viewed as a mismatch for the new regime and being waived only six games into the 2024 season. The Commanders had replaced him with rookie Mike Sainristill (a good corner, but not an outside player like Forbes) and free agent Michael Davis. By 2025, Davis was also let go by the Commanders, as was former third round pick Benjamin St-Juste.

Clearly, Washington's cornerback room had bigger problems than Forbes.

Rams stint, 2024-2025

Although Forbes only appeared in two games with the L.A. Rams in 2024, it wasn't because the defense was too talented at cornerback. Veterans like Ahkello Witherspoon and Darious Williams could provide guidance, but were never stars. The one star, Tre'Davious White, was a free agent bust and only appeared in four games for the Rams. Cobie Durant, Josh Wallace, and Jaylen McCollough were competition, trying to find their only place on the depth chart.

With the Rams bringing back Ahkello Witherspoon, they need the one that finished the the year, not the one that started 2024 and ended 2023.

From Weeks 4-12, Witherspoon had a missed tackle rate of 26.7% which was the 4th-highest and allowed a passer rating of 117.7.

- Blaine Grisak (@BGMediaOnSI) March 20, 2025

Then last season, Williams, Durant, Witherspoon, and Wallace returned.

But Forbes took over as the number one. Not because he was a true number one. Only because the Rams didn't have a true number one.

Now with their latest moves to acquire Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, they do. Forbes must take advantage of his first chance to not be a number one, and instead prove his value as a rotational player, a backup, and a cornerback who should be treating the 2026 season as if it's his second chance to be a rookie.