Washington Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes departed Sunday’s season-opening loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with an undisclosed injury. Head coach Dan Quinn confirmed the injury but didn’t say what it was, but that it didn’t appear to be a long-term concern.
On Thursday, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network gave more details on Forbes’ injury. Forbes has a torn UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) in his thumb. It’s an injury that would have been problematic for Forbes all season.
It’s unknown how much time Forbes will miss. If the Commanders put him on the reserve/injured list with a designation to return, he would miss at least four games. If Washington doesn’t place him on IR, he’ll likely return in less than four weeks.
In his place, Washington’s outside cornerback rotation will likely consist of Benjamin St-Juste, Michael Davis, and Noah Igbinoghene. During Sunday’s loss at Tampa Bay, Igbinoghene relieved Forbes, with Davis playing only on special teams.
The 2023 NFL draft’s No. 16 overall pick struggled during his rookie season and had a rough start in Week 1. However, Quinn remains pleased with Forbes’ effort and believes he can still be developed into a quality starting cornerback.
