Washington Football Team to hire Martin Mayhew in front office role

The Washington Football Team is set to hire Marty Hurney as their general manager. They have yet to make it official as of this writing, but the deal is reportedly being finalized.

Now, Hurney will start making rebuilding Washington’s front office as the team continues to restructure their organization. And Hurney’s first move would appear to be a big one.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Washington is set to hire San Francisco 49ers VP of Player Personnel Martin Mayhew as a high-ranking executive. Mayhew had previously interviewed for Washington’s GM position.

What Martin Mayhew brings to the Washington Football Team

Mayhew is an experienced scout and recently helped turn the San Francisco 49ers into a Super Bowl contender. San Francisco’s build mirrored Washington’s current build in many ways, as the 49ers built up a strong defense and then worked on the offense. Washington will be asked to do the same and like the 49ers, they do have key questions at the quarterback spot.

In addition to his work with the 49ers, Mayhew served as the Lions’ GM from 2008 to 2015. He never was able to build the Lions into a true contender and had his share of struggles in trying to rebuild the team, but given that the Lions were en route to an 0-16 season when he took over in late ’08, the fact that he led them to a 10-win season in 2011 is impressive. And he did add some key players and building blocks to the squad, especially via the draft.

Most notably, Mayhew’s first selection with the Lions was Matthew Stafford. His connections to the veteran quarterback could prove valuable to Washington, as Stafford represents a good trade target for the squad. They are focused on upgrading the QB spot, after all, and Stafford would certainly do that.

Mayhew’s track record isn’t perfect, but having a second man with GM experience in the front office is good news for Washington. The team was lacking a bit in the experience department before the hires of Hurney and Mayhew, so adding them should help balance things a bit more, provided that Washington keeps the up-and-comers, like Kyle Smith, that they already have on their staff.

It’s also worth noting that Mayhew played for Washington and won a Super Bowl under Joe Gibbs, so he is familiar with the legacy of this franchise. He also knows how to win here, so that could help him shape Washington into a winner.

We’ll soon see what role Mayhew is playing, but adding him to the front office certainly seems like a smart move. You can never have too much depth and scouting experience in a front office, and the respect Mayhew commands, along with his success in San Francisco, should bode well for his chances of performing well here in Washington.