Why Washington Commanders CB Emmanuel Forbes Will Improve in Year 2

Emmanuel Forbes struggled during his rookie season with the Washington Commanders.

Jeremy Brener | Aug 3, 2024

Nov 23, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Washington Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes (13) warms up before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

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Washington Commanders

Washington Commanders rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes struggled to live up to the expectations after being chosen with the No. 16 overall pick in last year's NFL Draft.

Forbes was chosen in large part due to his ability to force interceptions, and he had six pick-sixes during his career at Mississippi State. However, he came into the league weighing just 166 pounds, and offenses took advantage of that in his rookie season.

To help his cause a little bit, Forbes gained some weight in the offseason in hopes of not being targeted as much.

“Oh, it's making me more explosive, more fast," Forbes said about adding weight. "And honestly, just maturing is going to help my game this year. I matured a lot over the offseason. Found out a lot about myself, and just looking forward to it.”

As the top pick for a defense that finished last in the league a year ago, a lot of attention is on Forbes this season to succeed. There's a new coaching staff in town and if they aren't pleased with him, they have no obligation to play him and they will easily find someone else to replace him.

Forbes and the Commanders are preparing for their first preseason game next Saturday against the New York Jets. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

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Published Aug 3, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.