COLUMN: How the Rams Are Rewriting a Stalled Career

He entered Washington towards the end of the disastrous final years in the Ron Rivera era, Forbes was dismissed by the new leadership in control of the Commanders. Forbes was on the verge of free agency less than two years into his career until a call came it. It was the Los Angeles Rams and they were claiming him.

Back at Rams' 2025 training camp, I spoke to Forbes exclusively and asked him about his release and journey to Los Angeles.

"It's rough," stated Forbes. "Nobody wants to get released from a team, especially when I was a first-rounder. I thought I'd be there for a little minute, but things didn't go in my favorite so I had to clear my head honestly and talk to the people that's closest to me, and they helped me out a lot, just like maybe you needed this fresh start, and honestly, I did."

However, the Rams made it clear from day one that they didn't care about the past and it was about moving forward with a clean slate for Forbes, a message that Associate head coach Aubrey Pleasant, the man behind the success of the secondary, hammered home.

"Coach AP told me, look me in my eyes, and as soon as I walked in the building, he said, 'I don't give a damn what the other team did to you, you got a fresh start here, and it's up to you to prove it. So, yeah, it is a great feeling."

Aubrey Pleasant leads the way

Pleasant, who's taking on head coaching responsibilities this week, took to the podium where I was able to ask him his thoughts about Forbes' mentioning him as one of the coaches who are helping him change his story, and what does their relationship look like?

“Yeah, that’s awesome," stated Pleasant. "Thank you for saying that. I did not know [Cornerback] [Emmanuel] Mr. Forbes said that. It's our job as a teacher and a coach to help elevate our talent. It's our job to get the most out of our talent. I learned very quickly being here with Mr. Forbes that he was a phenomenal talent that I don't know if it previously had ever been asked to do more to make his game more of a technical game than just pure athletic game. I think as a cerebral football player that he is, I think he really appreciates and enjoys the challenge and understands that I'm attacking him on a technical approach and not physiological approach.”

Forbes has taken on the challenge with gumption, putting together a strong performance in OTAs and then following it up by going toe-to-toe with Davante Adams in training camp. Forbes has been battling a slight injury issue but his rehab is over as Forbes was a full participant at practice on Tuesday.

Forbes was excellent, nearly baiting Jimmy Garoppolo into an interception before Tutu Atwell put his body in between Forbes and the ball.

Forbes continues to grow, and if he continues to ball out, he's putting himself in position to be the Rams' starting cornerback of the future.