The Washington Commanders have one of the league’s best records, but the current NFC East leaders could still trade cornerback Emmanuel Forbes. A first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, then-General Manager Martin Mayhew selected the Mississippi State one pick ahead of fellow cornerback prospect Christian Gonzalez. Believing his ballhawk nature and elite speed could make him a dangerous threat in the back end, Forbes was supposed to be a building block for a young and untested secondary.
Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, as the cornerback had an abysmal rookie season for the NFL’s worst secondary. Head coach Dan Quinn couldn’t bring out the best in Forbes either, as the cornerback’s 34.9 PFF grade would be the worst in the league if he had enough snaps to qualify. Now wasting away on the bench, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports reports the former first-round pick is drawing trade interest. Draft busts happen all the time, but it’s rare to see first-round picks be this bad over a two-year sample. Perhaps a change of scenery could bring out the best in the veteran, and a team like the Kansas City Chiefs or Baltimore Ravens could make a low-risk, medium-reward investment.
Emmanuel Forbes Drawing Trade Interest – Chiefs, Ravens Top Fits
The Kansas City Chiefs are 8-0, but they’re not nearly as good as their record suggests. Following their overtime victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team is now 6-0 in one-score games, which is completely unsustainable. Patrick Mahomes is amazing and the DeAndre Hopkins trade looks like a great one, but they can’t keep winning games like this. If they want to increase their odds of winning a third Super Bowl in as many seasons, they’ll consider trading for Emmanuel Forbes.
Trent McDuffie remains one of the game’s top cornerbacks, but someone must step up opposite him. Former fourth-round pick Jaylen Watson did a remarkable job filling in for the departed L’Jarius Sneed, but he suffered a season-ending injury. With no big-name cornerbacks likely available for trade, Kansas City could roll the dice on a former first-round talent like Forbes. Maybe he never lives up to his pre-draft billing, but Kansas City shouldn’t have to give up much for a player with decent upside.
More Secondary Help
Through nine weeks, the Baltimore Ravens have one of the best offenses in NFL history. Led by MVP frontrunner Lamar Jackson and Offensive Player of the Year favorite Derrick Henry, teams can’t adequately defend Henry’s ferocious downhill running and Jackson’s ability to dominate through the air and the ground. These two will be the primary catalysts for Baltimore’s success, but they still need more help from the defense.
Normally one of the best units in the league, the Ravens have struggled to find adequate replacements for all the offseason losses on the defensive side of the ball. While Kyle Van Noy and former first-round pick Odafe Oweh are doing their part to get after the quarterback, the secondary needs some help. Marlon Humphrey suited up in Week 9, but the cornerback isn’t quite at 100%, while first-round pick Nate Wiggins is still adjusting to NFL life. Maybe the team doesn’t want to give up a major asset at the trade deadline, but Emmanuel Forbes shouldn’t cost more than a late-round pick swap.
Main Photo: Mark J. Rebilas – USA Today Sports
