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The unemployment of former Washington Commanders first round pick Emmanuel Forbes Jr. did not last long.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Forbes was picked up by the Los Angeles Rams just 2 days after he was released by the Commanders on November 30.
“Rams claimed former Commanders’ first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes Jr. on waivers, per source,” Schefter wrote on his official X account on December 2.
Forbes was a first round pick (No. 16 overall) by the Commanders in the 2023 NFL draft — the final first round pick of head coach Ron Rivera’s era.
“He was a guy that we liked and had a familiarity with just based on the evaluation coming out of Mississippi State,” Rams head coach Sean McVay told ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. “And then I thought there was some good tape that he’s put out there when we’ve gone against them, particularly later in the year last year.”
Forbes is under contract through 2026, with a fifth-year option for 2027 that now belongs to the Rams.
Commanders Head Coach Shared Message to Forbes
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn shared the message he gave to Forbes when he was released, clarifying that the move came in part largely because the Commanders were about to have to make room on the active roster for cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who they obtained in a trade on November 5, but has been out the last 5 games with a hamstring injury.
“I had a chance to visit with (Forbes), and I explained to him sometimes that the change of scenery is good, and I’ve seen other players go to other clubs, and it turns out differently, and sometimes that’s a good thing,” Quinn told Riggo’s Rag. “And I said that that can happen with you too. And so, I wanted to make sure he heard that from me, and there was even guys on his own team here that had started somewhere else as a first-round player and all of a sudden, just a different scenery and different shift. The new system can help. And so, we wanted to wish him best on this football journey wherever that goes from here.”
Forbes Addressed Release With Bible Verse
Forbes’ only public comments since his release came via a post on his X account , where he shared the bible verse: “Job 8:7-17” followed by 2 prayer hands emojis.
According to BibleGateways.com, the verse reads: “Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.”
Forbes’ release represents the latest in a long line of failed first round picks for the Commanders under Rivera, who was the head coach from 2020 to 2023 and oversaw four drafts.
Of the four first-round picks Rivera had a hand in — Forbes, wide receiver Jahan Dotson (2022), linebacker Jamin Davis (2021) and defensive end Chase Young (2022) — none still play for the Commanders.
Dotson was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in August 2024, Davis was released in October 2024 and now plays for the Minnesota Vikings and Young, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft, was traded to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2024 third round pick and now plays for the New Orleans Saints.
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