Washington Commanders CB Emmanuel Forbes Snap Restricted Due to 'Matchup'

The Washington Commanders invested a first-round pick in cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, but don't seem too anxious to play him.

The Washington Commanders were officially eliminated from NFL Playoffs contention this weekend after losing 28-20 to the Los Angeles Rams. 

In the game, the Commanders defense surrendered 258 yards to Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford along with two touchdown passes. 

It wasn't the worst defensive performance this season for Washington, but it certainly wasn't the best. 

Either way, we can't look at this loss and blame first-round cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, because the man was barely on the field. 

“That was a lot more about what [DB] Quan [Martin] was doing and really what we had as a matchup going into this game,” coach Ron Rivera said when asked about Forbes' six defensive snaps compared to second-round defensive back Quan Martin who played all 75.

Washington Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes (13) reacts after being ejected for a personal foul during the first quarter at Lumen Field / Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Week 15 marks the fourth time in his last six games Forbes appeared on fewer than 10 of the defensive snaps in a single game. In one of those games, Week 10 against the Seattle Seahawks, Forbes was ejected after playing only five snaps.

In the other two, he played 75 percent or more in a win over the New England Patriots and a loss to the New York Giants. 

It's important to note Forbes also missed two games due to injury following the Giants contest, but that's not a reason Rivera revealed when asked about his low usage in Week 15.

If matchup is the concern or reason, then it's hard not to look back to April when the Commanders chose Forbes over Oregon Ducks cornerback Christian Gonzalez who many pegged as a slam dunk selection if he fell to their pick.

After Washington took Forbes, video of Rivera and others being fully in on the prospect from Mississippi State surfaced and less than six games into his NFL career the rookie was benched.

Any NFL team taking a defensive back in the first round expects him to be able to play substantial snaps in every game - barring injury - regardless of the matchup.

Matchup-dependent players are typically reserved for middle-round picks, or maybe higher by teams who may believe that one need separates them from a Lombardi Trophy.

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Here, it appears the Commanders spent a first-round pick on a matchup-dependent player whose favorable match only appeared six times in a game that eventually eliminated the team from the playoffs.

Of course, that vision is based only on what we know, and because of the failure in that pick, coach Rivera has likely spent his last first-rounder in Washington.