Commanders draft bust shockingly revived when career looked finished

Ron Rivera's final tragic draft tale centered on selecting slender cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr at No. 16 overall in 2023. He barely made it into his second season with the Washington Commanders before new general manager Adam Peters cut this experiment short.

The Commanders gave up on Forbes, who was neither a scheme fit nor talented enough to fit into Dan Quinn's plans. He was given another chance quickly, with the Los Angeles Rams scooping him off the waiver wire to see what he could potentially offer.

It was a slow burn initially from Forbes. But things are reportedly looking a lot more encouraging after a full offseason with the squad.

Emmanuel Forbes Jr. is achieving redemption after abrupt Commanders exit

The reports from Rams camp were immensely encouraging. Forbes worked hard on his body over the offseason, putting on more muscle mass to cope better with the physical demands of going up against elite-level wide receivers. The Mississippi State product looks more comfortable, and he was deservedly rewarded with a place on the 53-man roster.

That's not all. Forbes switched his jersey number to single-digits, which is normally a telltale sign of an important role. Head coach Sean McVay also lauded the player recently, naming him among the Rams' top-four cornerbacks heading into the campaign.

I really think our corner group as a whole is really deep. We've got what we look at as four starting corners. That's a positive thing for us with Ahkello with Cobie, with Darious and with Emmanuel Forbes. That's a real positive thing for us.Sean McVay via USA Today

This is an astounding turnaround when all hope seemed lost. Forbes was down and out in Washington, devoid of confidence and consistency. His situation remains precarious, but it's far more promising than at any stage over his NFL career so far.

Whether Forbes maximizes this chance is debatable. What cannot be disputed was the inexplicable decision by Rivera to take him over Christian Gonzalez, a projected top-five pick who is well on course to becoming one of the league's premier shutdown corners.

There's nothing Forbes can do about that now. He's put a torrid experience in Washington behind him, learning some extremely harsh lessons along the way. Everything happens for a reason, and the Rams have given him the biggest vote of confidence imaginable heading into his third season in a professional environment.

Momentum is finally on Forbes' side. Building on it in a competitive setting when results matter represents a different challenge entirely.

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