Cornerback Emmanuel Forbes revived his career with the Los Angeles Rams, but the former first-round pick’s improved play wasn’t enough for the team to exercise the fifth-year option on his contract. Selected with the 16th-overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Mississippi State product joined the Washington Commanders but couldn’t play up to his draft capital. Forbes had a disastrous rookie season and, following an offseason coaching change, couldn’t quite fit into Dan Quinn’s scheme. The team traded him to the Los Angeles Rams midway through the 2024 season for next to nothing.
This move proved to work in the Rams’ favor. While nobody would confuse Forbes with 2009 Darelle Revis, he proved to be an adequate starter for one of the league’s top teams. Appearing in all 17 games while making 14 starts, Forbes finished the 2025 season with three interceptions, 18 passes defended, and 45 tackles while helping the team reach the NFC Championship Game.
Unfortunately for Forbes, the Rams spent the offseason bolstering the cornerback position. The team traded for Trent McDuffie, signed him to a massive extension, and then spent big on free agent Jaylen Watson. Now entering the final year of his deal with no clear path to playing time, the Los Angeles Rams could trade him and probably get a somewhat decent return for his services. Nobody will surrender a first-round pick, but the following three teams could send a fifth-round pick for the 25-year-old.
Rams Could Trade Emmanuel Forbes After Declining Fifth-Year Option
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs could effectively swap Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson for Emmanuel Forbes. While this swap clearly favors the Rams, Forbes can bring some much-needed talent to this depth chart. While the Chiefs added running back Kenneth Walker in free agency, they lost several key playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. First-round pick Monsoor Delane will help, but you can’t expect a rookie to lock down a side of the field from Day 1. Adding Forbes would ensure the Chiefs have reliable depth at the position, which will be vital since Patrick Mahomes could start the season rusty after tearing his ACL midway through the 2025 season.
New York Jets
The New York Jets had a historically bad defense last year, as the entire unit failed to record an interception. Head coach Aaron Glenn won’t survive another season with this type of lackluster production, so he must improve this unit if he wants to keep his job. New York added several key playmakers along the defensive line and front seven, but it hasn’t done much to improve the secondary. Emmanuel Forbes won’t make anyone forget about Sauce Gardner, but the cornerback should start and provide some consistency for a depth chart low on talent.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals haven’t had a good defense in years, and they cannot continue to rely on Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins winning every game in a shootout. To Cincinnati’s credit, they bolstered the front seven with players like Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, and second-round pick Cashius Howell. While the pass rush is improved, the secondary remains an issue, and someone like Emmanuel Forbes could be a smart add to help turn this defense into a league-average unit.
