Dan Quinn challenges the Commanders first round flop after recent setback

Emmanuel Forbes Jr. is at a crossroads just 1.5 seasons into his professional career. Former head coach Ron Rivera believed he could bring a cohesive, opportunistic presence to the Washington Commanders' cornerback room and selected him over Christian Gonzalez in the 2023 NFL Draft. Unfortunately for the player, his lack of size and lack of consistency means the jury is still out.

The fact that Forbes was inactive in Week 6 with the Baltimore Ravens was another setback. Dan Quinn stated that this was to use another defensive lineman over quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry, but the preference for Mike Davis and Noah Igbinoghene shows how far down the pecking order he is in a cornerback unit, which is not exactly blessed with real quality.

Things aren't looking particularly promising for Forbes. All hope is not lost, but there is still a long way to go. And make no mistake, general manager Adam Peters won't hesitate to cut ties early if he feels it's the right thing to do.

Until then, Forbes must continue to fight and evolve. That was the message Quinn sent to the defenseman, who believes this is the only way for the former Mississippi State star to seize the moment when another opportunity arises.

“I had that conversation specifically and kind of reminded him that it's not always going to be this rocky. Through the work you put in, the things you want to highlight, and then you work like hell to improve those specific things and. The opportunity will come around again, and when it does, you want to be able to to create it. But the reason you make it is because with all the work you put in, you say, “Okay, I've put in the work, I'm ready to do it.” So that was my message to him about readiness and that he will be back the next time he gets a chance and will be absolutely ready for it.

– Dan Quinn on USA Today Sports

That could happen this weekend against the Carolina Panthers. They have some dynamic, explosive wide receivers. Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton is limited, but he knows how to get the football out in a timely manner behind an offensive line that has quickly become an area of ​​strength. For all of Forbes' faults, he is fast. Whether it's enough for Quinn to include him is another question.

Forbes needs to heed this advice, put his head down and work hard to improve his craft. Quinn seemed to indicate that another opportunity would arise as confidence in his performance level increased. No timetable was given, so it will be interesting to see how the player responds after the head coach challenged the No. 16 overall pick.

The Commanders spent an early part of their week trying out several players, including former All-Pro cornerback Kyle Fuller. This suggests that Peters is not satisfied with the options available and wants to step up to increase Washington's chances of winning the NFC East. There's also the small matter of being more aggressive at the trade deadline to factor that into the equation.

If that doesn't create additional urgency from Forbes, there won't be anything.

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