4 worst decisions Martin Mayhew made in Year 1 as Commanders GM
By Dean Jones
Commanders didn’t replace Brandon Scherff effectively
It was almost inevitable that Brandon Scherff would depart the Washington Commanders during free agency in 2022. The formidable interior offensive lineman enjoyed a glittering career en route to five Pro Bowls and one first-team All-Pro honor, but this wasn’t enough for general manager Martin Mayhew to pay him the going rate when push came to shove.
Scherff wasn’t short of offers as expected. The former No. 5 overall selection quickly signed for the Jacksonville Jaguars and played a leading role in providing quarterback Trevor Lawrence with enough stability to lead his team into the postseason.
As for the Commanders, they failed to replace Scherff’s production effectively. Andrew Norwell’s performance levels were indifferent at best and others across the offensive line also failed to meet modest expectations throughout a disappointing season in this critical area of play.
Mayhew and Ron Rivera must now conjure up a plan that gives Washington’s protection a significant makeover. One that can hopefully give Sam Howell or someone else a legitimate chance to make strides in 2023.
This normally takes some high-end draft capital and substantial financial sums in free agency. So it’ll be interesting to see which path or paths the Commanders take with Mayhew and Rivera potentially on the hottest seats imaginable next time around.