Rams Claim Emmanuel Forbes Jr. on Waivers; 2023 1st Round Pick Was Cut by Commanders

The Los Angeles Rams are taking a chance on a high-upside player who didn't live up to early expectations in his first stop with the Washington Commanders.

Los Angeles announced Monday it claimed defensive back Emmanuel Forbes Jr. off waivers.

Washington selected Forbes with the No. 16 overall pick of the 2023 NFL draft, but ESPN's Sarah Barshop noted the NFC East team cut him Saturday. Barshop also pointed out this may not be just a short-term pickup for the Rams, as the Mississippi State product is under contract through 2026 with a fifth-year option for 2027.

"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 said. "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 was a consensus All-American in 2022 during his final collegiate season with the Bulldogs. He showed a knack for the ball with 10 passes defended and six interceptions, three of which he returned for touchdowns in that 2022 campaign.

In all, he had six interception returns for touchdowns during his three years in college.

Forbes didn't have that immediate impact for the Commanders, although he showed flashes of his potential while appearing in 14 games with six starts as a rookie. He tallied 11 passes defended and an interception in that first NFL season.

Yet Forbes has started just one game this season and was trending in the wrong direction prior to Saturday's release.

Bryan Manning of USA Today's Commanders Wire noted Forbes was a healthy scratch in three of the last five games and played just eight total defensive snaps during that span. It seemed like his time in Washington was limited at best, and the impending return of Marshon Lattimore gave the team even more reason to move on.

Perhaps a change of scenery will help the 23-year-old tap into his potential as the Rams chase an NFC West crown.

Los Angeles also waived defensive back Charles Woods with no recall in a corresponding roster move Monday.