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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