ASHBURN, Va. — Washington Commanders’ second-year cornerback Emmanuel Forbes will undergo surgery Friday to repair a torn UCL in his right thumb, a team source told The Athletic on Thursday.
The 2023 first-round pick suffered the injury in the Commanders’ 37-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. Surgery will determine the recovery timeline and whether an injured reserve stint is required. Coach Dan Quinn downplayed the severity Wednesday.
Forbes wore a splint during Wednesday’s practice and wasn’t listed on the team’s daily injury report. The team listed Forbes as limited on Thursday’s practice report.
“We got good news, it’s not gonna knock him out,” Quinn said before Wednesday’s practice. Though on the field for the open part of Thursday’s practice, an apparent assessment change occurred.
Forbes, the 16th player selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, set a college football record with six interceptions returned for touchdowns. That playmaking didn’t materialize during his rookie campaign. Opponents repeatedly picked on Forbes, leading to a Week 6 benching and limited work in other games.
The outside cornerbacks were arguably Washington’s primary weakness even before Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield threw four touchdown passes in the opener. Per Pro Football Focus, Mayfield completed all three of his passes against Forbes for 38 yards. The starting corner was removed twice in the loss and had X-rays taken after the game.
“Would he want some plays back? You bet,” Quinn said. “But I’d also say this is a young player we’re developing and working with. … He’s improving and going to improve.”
The Commanders (0-1) host the New York Giants (0-1) on Sunday at Northwest Stadium.
Benjamin St-Juste started opposite Forbes with 2024 second-round pick Mike Sainristil at slot corner. Noah Igbinoghene served as the primary reserve against Tampa Bay over veteran Mike Davis, who was active but received no defensive reps.
The Buccaneers scored on seven of their eight possessions and converted 9-of-13 third-down opportunities. Defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. cited poor communication as one of Washington’s defensive issues.
“It’s our jobs as coaches to make sure that the players are not thinking, they’re playing fast and they’re on the same page,” Whitt said.
(Photo: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)
