The Commanders opened up two roster spots today with a pair of surprising transactions. Washington continued its purging of the previous regime’s players by waiving former first-round draft pick Emmanuel Forbes in the middle of his second year. The other roster spot was opened by veteran running back Austin Ekeler being placed on injured reserve. 
In 2023, the Commanders took chance on Forbes, drafting him out of Mississippi State over Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez despite a near-league-consensus that Gonzalez was the better prospect and despite major concerns over Forbes’ size. Since 2000, Forbes is the only cornerback to be drafted after weighing in under 170 pounds at the NFL scouting combine. Still, his senior season for the Bulldogs saw him pick off six passes (returning three for touchdowns) and defend 10 other passes. He finished his collegiate career with 14 interceptions (six returned for touchdowns) and 21 passes defensed.
His ability to play the ball continued in his rookie season, in which he collected his first interception and 10 passes defensed. Forbes sophomore season has seen him struggle with injury throughout the year, missing six games over the first 12 of the season and has seen him fall behind multiple later-round prospects on the depth chart. As a result, Washington attempted to gauge trade interest in their former first-rounder, but failing to find a suitor, they’ve opted to waive him.
Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post notes the continued trend of Commanders drafted by the team’s former regime parting ways in some way or another. Since 2019, every first-round selection — Montez Sweat, Dwayne Haskins, Chase Young, Jamin Davis, Jahan Dotson, and Forbes — has either been cut or traded.
Ekeler is yet another example this year of a player being sent to IR with a concussion designation. The 29-year-old did not practice at all this week because of the head injury and has apparently failed to make it through the league’s concussion protocol and will require a multi-week recovery period. The veteran has not quite produced up to his numbers in Los Angeles, but he’s the team’s third-leading rusher (behind quarterback Jayden Daniels and Brian Robinson) and third on the team in receptions. He trails only wide receiver Terry McLaurin in total yards from scrimmage. Ekeler’s total production in both phases of the offense won’t be easily replaced, but players like Jeremy McNichols and Olamide Zaccheaus will likely try to fill those roles.
The Commanders did not officially fill either of the vacated roster spots today, but they did announce two temporary standard gameday practice squad elevations for tomorrow. Defensive tackle Carl Davis and kicker Zane Gonzalez will be called up for tomorrow’s game. With Austin Seibert getting placed on IR earlier this week, Gonzalez will serve as the team’s kicker for the third time this year.
I’d love to see the Patriots take a chance on Forbes.
Agreed! He’s free at this point.
Packers need CB help and have a open 53 spot and like Georgia bulldogs
He was a Mississippi State Bulldog, not a Georgia one.
my bad
No. Little people don’t belong playing a game for big people. Hard pass.
Yowza. Forbes was a bad pick over Gonzalez (not hindsight, obviously at the time) and he’s been disappointing, but I still think he can be a regular somewhere.
Yeah, this seems pretty sudden. Despite Forbes’ struggles, he’s not valueless and only has a season and a half under his belt as a first rounder. Even if he gets usurped on the starting roster, why throw away the cheap depth?
Ekeler going on IR is not surprising at all — he was knocked cold after returning a kickoff late in the Commanders’ loss to Dallas.
Next pick after Forbes was Christian Gonzalez lol
Emmanuel Forbes was cut because Marshon Lattimore started practicing with the team this week. Apparently, his strength is in zone coverage and given his size teams run right at him.
He will have a lot of suiters, but the scheme needs to be right. League minimum for spot duty with a team needing depth.
He should sign with Bengals
From picture of Forbes in article he looks like a malnourished castaway. Dude is skinny. Prob wasn’t that much help in run coverage, small to be coming in n putting shoulder on somebody. Needs some dbl cheeseburgers.