Emmanuel Forbes enters a pivotal moment of his NFL career. The former No. 16 pick two years ago still has two years left on the rookie deal he signed with the Washington Commanders in 2023, but his role will be under the microscope in his first full season with the Los Angeles Rams.
Forbes, 24, joined the Rams late in the 2024 season after being released by the Commanders, but only played in 39% of the team’s defensive snaps and started just one game. Now, he enters 2025 in a muddled cornerback room without a clear No. 1 player.
He could prove himself as the Rams’ solution at the position or continue to flounder as an NFL prospect. Through the early portions of the summer camps, Forbes is banking on the former.
“I feel way stronger, way more explosive and it really has helped my game out a lot,” Forbes told the team website. “They let me play my game, like, throughout the defense. So, honestly, not worried about messing up in my head and just going out there and playing freely. So, it’s helped me be great.”
It’s still early, but Rams head coach Sean McVay has already noticed a difference in Forbes. He said he’s been “impressed” by the young cornerback and has seen that “he’s done a really good job with what he can control.”
Will that result in more snaps on defense? That’s up to Chris Shula. But with so much ambiguity in the secondary, Forbes has a great opportunity to grab a good role in a young and ascending defense.
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