Commanders Have Cut, Traded All 2019-2023 1st-Round Draft Picks After Forbes Release

The Washington Commanders' recent ineptitude on first-round draft picks was on display again Saturday, as the team waived cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Per Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post, that move means every first-round pick made by the Commanders from 2019 through 2023 is no longer with the team:

Washington selected Forbes with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft out of Mississippi State, but after appearing in 20 games and making only seven starts over the course of two seasons, his tenure with the Commanders is already over.

As a rookie, Forbes stared six of the 14 games he played in and finished with 38 tackles, 11 passes defended and one interception.

Entering the 2024 campaign, Forbes fell behind Benjamin St-Juste, rookie second-round pick Mike Sainristil and Noah Igbinoghene on the cornerback depth chart, resulting in him recording just seven tackles and one pick in six games.

Once the Commanders acquired four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore in a trade with the New Orleans Saints earlier this month, Forbes became expendable, although Lattimore has yet to appear in a game for Washington due to a hamstring injury.

Along with Forbes, the Commanders have also parted ways with five other first-round picks made since 2019 in quarterback Dwayne Haskins (2019), pass-rusher Montez Sweat (2019), pass-rusher Chase Young (2020), linebacker Jamin Davis (2021) and wide receiver Jahan Dotson (2022).

Of that group, the Commanders traded Sweat to Chicago Bears and Young to the San Francisco 49ers last season. They also dealt Dotson to the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles this past offseason.

Washington released Haskins after he struggled in 13 starts over two seasons, and after spending 2021 as a backup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he tragically died in a vehicular accident in 2022.

The Commanders released Davis in October after he appeared in five games for the team this season. He then spent some time on the Green Bay Packers' practice squad before the Minnesota Vikings signed him this week.

The first-round picks made by the Commanders from 2019 to 2023 involved several different decision-makers. Bruce Allen was general manager in 2019, Ron Rivera essentially served in that role in 2020 and Martin Mayhew was GM from 2021 to 2023.

Washington hired Adam Peters as its new general manager in January, and returns on the initial first-round pick of his tenure are positive thus far.

With the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, Peters took Heisman Trophy-winning LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, who has helped the Commanders get off to a 7-5 start.

Washington has not reached the playoffs since 2020, and it has not posted a winning record since 2016.

Poor quarterback play is a big reason for the Commanders' struggles in recent years, but Daniels is completing 68.4 percent of his passes for 2,613 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions, while also rushing for 556 yards and five scores, placing him firmly in the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year discussion.