Emmanuel Forbes’ free agency did not last long, as he has been claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Rams.
Forbes, the Commanders’ first-round pick in 2023, was released on Saturday, a day before what would’ve been just the 30th Commanders game since his selection, after two interceptions and 45 tackles in 20 games with Washington.
In a team statement, head coach Sean McVay said Forbes was actually a Rams target in that draft.
"Player that we liked as part of the evaluation process coming out a couple years ago out of Mississippi State," McVay said Monday. "Had a lot of ball production, had some good tape out there, even when we played them last year. Showed versatility, showed competitive toughness on the edge, good ball skills. And so (a) guy that, don't know too much about personally, Kam Curl was excited to be able to reunite with him. But we'll get him in here, get him acclimated to the building. But he was a guy that we liked and had a familiarity with, just based on the evaluation coming out of Mississippi State. 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."
The Rams have two corners, Derion Kendrick and Tre Tomlinson, on injured reserve, and waived CB Charles Woods to make room on the roster, so Forbes will slot in as depth behind current starters Cobie Durant and Darious Williams. The addition also reunites him with former Commanders secondary-mate Curl, who is currently one of the Rams’ starters at safety – but together, they are two of the now 22 out of 33 Ron Rivera-era picks who are already gone from DC.
Forbes’ rookie contract runs through 2026, with a 2027 fifth-year option the Rams have the option to exercise after the 2025 season, and the claim takes him off Washington’s salary cap.