The Washington Commanders are reportedly searching for cornerback help ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline. At 7-2, the Commanders lead the NFC East but have some defensive issues.
While Washington is currently ranked No. 5 in pass defense, those numbers are deceptive. Teams have been able to run on the Commanders this season, but when facing a top passing offense, the pass defense has struggled.
It’s not the pass rush. Washington’s pass rush has been much better than expected. It’s the cornerback position where the Commanders could use some help.
Washington currently has Benjamin St-Juste, rookie Mike Sainristil, Emmanuel Forbes, Noah Igbinoghene, and Michael Davis. Davis rarely plays, having participated in just 32 defensive snaps this season. The Commanders primarily use St-Juste, Sainristil, and Igbinoghene.
That’s right. Emmanuel Forbes isn’t even a top-three corner for Washington. In Sunday’s win over the Giants, Forbes did not play one defensive snap. The 2023 first-round pick played six defensive snaps in the Week 8 win over Chicago. While Forbes missed a game with a thumb injury earlier this season, he’s been healthy and available for most of the season.
Here’s a look at his snaps throughout the season:
- Week 1: 35
- Week 2: inactive
- Week 3: inactive
- Week 4: 33
- Week 5: 4
- Week 6: inactive
- Week 7: 29
- Week 8: 8
- Week 9: Active/DNP
Forbes’ struggles as a rookie are no secret. While he does have one interception — in Week 7 vs. Carolina — he’s failed to prove he can be a reliable starting option. The Commanders are going with St-Juste as their defacto CB1. While St-Juste struggles at times, he has excellent length, is physical and doesn’t lack confidence.
Sainristil is already excellent, and Washington has sometimes played him out of position. Ideally, Sainristil will be the Commanders’ slot cornerback for years to come.
Igbinoghene has been a pleasant surprise. The former first-round pick has found a home in Washington. While he may not be a No. 1 cornerback, he’s proven he belongs. Even better, Igbinoghene is only 24.
Where does that leave Forbes? And what if GM Adam Peters trades for a cornerback at the NFL trade deadline? Could Peters find someone who wants to take a chance on Forbes?
Sure, you won’t receive much in a trade, but perhaps Forbes and Washington could use a clean break. A team interested in Forbes may not want to take on his rookie contract, though.
It’s unlikely Forbes is moved, but the Commanders could certainly be adding to the cornerback room, which would push him even further down the depth chart as Washington vies for the NFC East title.
