Washington Commanders Rookie CB Emmanuel Forbes Dealing With 'Pretty Significant Injury'

Emmanuel Forbes was out for the Washington Commanders against the Dallas Cowboys with an elbow injury.

An up-and-down rookie season for Washington Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes has hit another rough patch. 

Forbes suffered an elbow injury on Nov. 19 in the Commanders' 31-19 loss to the New York Giants (4-8). The injury kept Forbes out of Washington's (4-8) game against the Dallas Cowboys (8-3) in which it lost 45-10. 

While head coach Ron Rivera acknowledges that reps down the stretch of the season will be imperative for Forbes' growth, the significance of his elbow injury could hinder his ability to come back.

“Oh, absolutely," Rivera said on whether reps are important for Forbes. "I think a big part of it is where the elbow is. He did have a pretty significant injury there and so we'll see how he is and how treatments are going and from there we'll decide or the training staff and doctors will decide when's the best opportunity to get him back on the football field.”

Emmanuel Forbes was taken with the No. 16 overall pick by the Washington Commanders in the 2023 NFL Draft / Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

In 10 games, Forbes has 27 tackles, two of which were for a loss, 10 passes defended and an interception this season. The rookie cornerback had his struggles, leading to him being benched on Oct. 15 against the Atlanta Falcons. Forbes had shown signs of improvement in his last two games before the injury with seven tackles and five passes defended. 

With the Commanders' defense allowing the most points per game (29.2) this season and firing former defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, they'll take any type of silver lining on that side of the ball. If Forbes can get back on the field and play up to expectations from the beginning of the season, it'll at least somewhat salvage what has been a disastrous season on the defensive side of the ball. 

Rivera Explains 'Biggest Challenge' in Taking Over Defense

Washington will look to snap its three-game skid on Sunday when they host the Miami Dolphins (8-3) at 1 p.m. ET at FedEx Stadium.