Washington Commanders rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes has three games under his belt. The first-round pick has had his share of ups and downs through the season’s first three weeks.
Forbes has one interception, which he could’ve run back for a touchdown if he hadn’t slipped. He also missed another one, something Forbes never did in college. He gave up a big catch at Denver and against Buffalo.
Buy Commanders TicketsHowever, as a whole, Forbes has adjusted well early in his career. Kendall Fuller and Benjamin St-Juste have played most of the snaps at cornerback, but Forbes has participated in 57% of Washington’s defensive snaps.
According to Pro Football Reference, opposing quarterbacks have a 61.1 rating when throwing in Forbes’s direction. That’s excellent. Of course, it doesn’t tell the entire story. Quarterbacks have completed six of 12 passes against Forbes, again, a good number. But those six receptions have totaled 158 yards, an average of over 26 yards per reception.
Forbes still has to grow, but the early signs are encouraging. Washington coaches spoke about Forbes this week and are highly encouraged by his progress.
Head coach Ron Rivera
LIVE: Coach Rivera speaks to the media after practice https://t.co/O0kOv8CZSm
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“I think in watching him and some of the things that he does, I think he’s got to continue to work on his technique and really be even better with it,” Rivera said Wednesday.
“He’s got a tremendous skill set. He’s got great quicks, he’s got a great plant and drive. Sometimes his footwork, his body positions, he can be better at it. He really can. He’s such a young player, and I just think it’s about him refining the technique that he’s going to use and he’s going to play with.”
Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio
DC Jack Del Rio speaks to the media before practice https://t.co/UHqcQHL4pG
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“I like the way he’s started and responded,” Del Rio said of Forbes. “I thought last week was clearly a step forward. I think, you know, he continues to understand plays that he needs to make for us and working hard at it.”
DBs coach Brent Vieselmeyer
“It’s making progress, Vieselmeyer said of Forbes’s technique. I think if you watch each week, it keeps getting better and better. Sometimes it’s hard when you’re a high school player, gets thrown in right away, and you’re like starting, and you’re doing a good job and just keep playing, keep playing, keep playing. So you don’t always have time to really refine maybe some of those things.”
It sounds like Forbes is putting in work with two of Washington’s veteran cornerbacks.
“So he’s done a great job, embraced it. Kendall [Fuller] and Danny Johnson have been instrumental in helping him just getting extra. So I’m super pleased he’s gotten way better. I think his last game was, by far, technique-wise, probably doesn’t show as much maybe in the box score, but it really looked good.”
