Getty Christian Gonzalez of the New England Patriots looking forward.
The 2023-24 Washington Commanders season went the way that it did for multiple reasons. While there wasn’t one exact reason for the team finishing 4-13, the second-worst record in football, some reasons were more to blame than others. With those issues, Washington’s first-round pick in 2023, Emmanuel Forbes, didn’t do his part to help.
In a 2023 NFL re-draft from Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon, he has the Commanders drafting New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
“While it’s too early to say Emmanuel Forbes is a bust, he will not enjoy the memory of his rookie year. He surrendered 9.8 yards per target and lost his starting job within two weeks. Christian Gonzalez, on the other hand, jumped out to an excellent start in September before a shoulder injury ended his promising season.”
Gonzalez was injured in the 2023-24 season just four games into his NFL career with a shoulder injury that kept him out the entire season. However, it was clear throughout those four games that he belonged and was a star in the making.
The hope for the Patriots is that he returns healthy next season and can continue to be one of the top cornerbacks in football.
A New System Can Benefit Emmanuel Forbes
Calling a rookie a bust isn’t the right way to evaluate the season he had. Instead, it’s best to give Forbes another chance next season and hope he can improve from what he learned in his first season in the NFL. Forbes started his career on the right foot but ended up getting benched down the stretch. He allowed 37 catches for 598 yards on 61 targets.
After he was benched, Forbes reached out to others around the league regarding what he should do next. Instead of worrying, Forbes understood that it happens and he needs to get better from it. He had the following to say, according to Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press.
“It’s just going to happen sometime in your career,” Forbes said. “It shows how you are as a person when it happens if you’re going to lay down and just take it or you’re just going to keep coming to work and getting better.”
With a new head coach and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio being fired in the middle of the season, a new system should help Emmanuel Forbes.
The Washington Commanders have a chance to make things right by hiring a coach who can come in and help some of their young talent like Forbes.
Washington Commanders Coaching Search
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Commanders’ top target, Ben Johnson, will be staying with the Detroit Lions. Johnson was one of the hottest names on the market and will stay with the Lions as their offensive coordinator.
Dan Quinn, the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator, finished his follow-up interview with Washington on January 30, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports. Quinn’s one of the top defensive minds in football and can put Forbes and the rest of this defense in a position to succeed after allowing 30.5 points per game, the most in the NFL.