Commanders place Austin Ekeler on IR, release 2023 first-rounder Emmanuel Forbes

The Washington Commanders put running back Austin Ekeler on injured reserve because of a concussion Saturday. He will miss at least four weeks, starting with the Commanders’ game Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

Ekeler was concussed in the final minute of a Week 12 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and taken to a hospital for further evaluation. The 29-year-old was returning a kickoff with 9 seconds left when he was tackled by Dallas linebackers Damone Clark and Nick Vigil. He remained down after the tackle for several minutes and was eventually walked off the field with help from the training staff.

In his first season with the Commanders, Ekeler has 74 carries for 355 yards and four touchdowns. The team’s top running back, Brian Robinson Jr., is expected to play Sunday after he left the game against Dallas with an ankle injury. Backups Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. will also be available.

The Commanders also released 2023 first-rounder Emmanuel Forbes on Saturday, cutting ties with another high draft pick from the previous regime.

All of previous coach Ron Rivera’s first-rounders — including edge rusher Chase Young in 2020, linebacker Jamin Davis in ‘21 and wide receiver Jahan Dotson in ’22 — are now gone. Forbes never showed progress to the new staff led by coach Dan Quinn and was a healthy scratch twice this season and did not play in two other games during which the 23-year-old was in uniform.

It’s unclear if Forbes’ release means anything about the status of cornerback Marshon Lattimore, the Commanders’ trade deadline pickup in early November who still has not played for them because of a hamstring injury. Lattimore was listed as doubtful for Sunday.

Washington (7-5) has lost three in a row to fall from first place in the NFC East to the conference’s final wild-card spot. The most recent loss, last weekend against division rival Dallas, came when Austin Seibert missed his second extra point of the game, which would have tied it with 21 seconds left.

Seibert went on IR earlier in the week with a groin injury that Quinn said the kicker reported Monday. They elevated kicker Zane Gonzalez and defensive tackle Carl Davis from the practice squad in preparation for facing the Titans (3-8).

While injuries have piled up as the Commanders await their late bye week, the choice of Forbes has been second-guessed since the moment Rivera’s front office chose the 166-pound Mississippi State defensive back with the 16th pick over Christian Gonzalez and others. Gonzalez was selected next, by New England, and has started 16 games for the Patriots.

Forbes was benched last season by Rivera, who was in charge when Washington selected Davis ahead of offensive lineman Christian Darrisaw in ’21 and traded down to take Dotson the following year instead of safety Kyle Hamilton or receiver Chris Olave. Forbes has two interceptions and 12 passes defensed in 20 games.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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