Finlay: Emmanuel Forbes surgery decision helps Commanders 'out of a jam' in some ways

Emmanuel Forbes is out for an uncertain amount of time after undergoing surgery on a torn UCL in his thumb, an injury he suffered in the Commanders’ season opener against the Buccaneers.

The 2023 first-round pick has largely been a disappointment since coming into the league, and JP Finlay wonders if the decision to get surgery has anything to do with how he has been playing over the last year-plus.

“Emmanuel Forbes getting surgery helps them out of a jam in a lot of ways,” Finlay said. “If a player is playing well and you can have the surgery now or you can wait later and treat it, I think they would wait. I think this is ‘Let’s get this done now, and when you come back, we’ll recalibrate.’

“This lets them not have to bench him.”

Forbes was a full go at practice before it was announced that he would undergo surgery, leading Finlay to wonder if it was an injury that could have been treated and addressed via surgery once the season was over, had it been a player who was more vital to the team’s success this season, not one who has struggled and was benched at one point last season.

“I think if this was a different player or a player performing at a high level, you try to see if they can gut it out week after week and then reassess,” Finlay said. “He was a full participant on Wednesday.”

BMitch wasn’t buying that theory, and believes it could be something as simple as Forbes trying to practice, feeling the pain in this thumb, and decided that surgery was needed after consulting with team doctors.

“I don’t think they care one way or the other,” BMitch said. “I don’t think they mind - if he doesn’t play well - they don’t mind benching him...I don’t think Adam peters is concerned about someone’s feelings.”