4 worst decisions Martin Mayhew made in Year 1 as Commanders GM

Commanders traded for Carson Wentz

Upon examining the Washington Commanders and their overall fortunes in 2022, one thing stands out above all else. Trading for quarterback Carson Wentz.

After he was cast aside by the Philadelphia Eagles, Wentz got another opportunity to shine instantly with Frank Reich and the Indianapolis Colts. However, it didn’t take long to realize this wasn’t going to work out and the team didn’t hesitate when the Commanders came calling last spring.

This move was met with a mixed reaction from the fanbase, to put it mildly. There were willing to give Wentz a chance, but his concerning career trajectory brought more than a few red flags.

These came to fruition pretty rapidly. Wentz struggled right out of the gate and only when Taylor Heinicke was installed as the starter did things improve.

Ron Rivera gave Wentz another shot in Weeks 16 and 17, but the former No. 2 overall selection out of North Dakota State fluffed his lines. Something that ushered in the Sam Howell era for good measure.

Although this trade was a complete disaster, Washington did at least work the contract to ensure they could move off the signal-caller this offseason with a cap saving of $26.17 million. Mayhew deserves credit for that if nothing else.