The Washington Football Team coveted the combination of Martin Mayhew and Marty Hurney to join their front office structure. Initial reports suggested Hurney would take the role of general manager while Mayhew would assume an undetermined front office role.
However it appears Washington is flipping the script by naming Mayhew the GM, according to John Keim of ESPN. Hurney will still join the team but in a different role.
So why the change in direction? It may have a lot to do with Mayhew’s previous employer, the San Francisco 49ers. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports provides an explanation.
Essentially, the 49ers could have blocked a lateral move for Mayhew, who served the past two seasons as VP of player personnel. But by Washington hiring him as a GM, the 49ers gets an extra third-round compensatory draft pick. The NFL established a new rule that gives teams bonus draft picks encouraging development of minority coaches and executives.
Since Robert Saleh was hired to be the New York Jets head coach, the 49ers are now in line to get three bonus picks spread over the next three drafts.
Mayhew played defensive back four seasons in Washington, winning the Super Bowl XXVI in 1992. He has an extensive front office background that started in 2001. He served as the Detroit Lions GM from 2008-2015.
He hired Jim Schwartz and Jim Caldwell as head coaches during his stint in Detroit. However, in Washington he, along with Hurney, will most likely be part of a support system to head coach Ron Rivera, who was hired last year. Since his arrival, Washington has been a coach centric organization with Rivera making decisions on personnel and other matters.
