Washington Football Team general manager Martin Mayhew wanted fans to know the team did everything in its power to sign right guard Brandon Scherff to a long-term deal prior to the 2021 season. That included an offer that would have made Scherff the highest-paid offensive guard in NFL history.
“Fans should know we made every effort to get something done and we’ll continue to work on that,” Mayhew said Tuesday per ESPN’s John Keim. “We made an offer for him to be the highest paid offensive guard in the history of the NFL. We’ll keep that dialogue to see where things go.”
News of Washington’s offer to Scherff isn’t new. Keim reported last April the offer to make Scherff the highest-paid guard in the league. However, Mayhew’s comment was a confirmation.
It was also Washington’s way of placing blame on Scherff if the All-Pro guard happens to leave the team in free agency. Therefore, steering fans’ opinions of the situation in favor of the team.
It’s unclear what the offer was or the structure of the deal.
Scherff played on a franchise tag each of the past two seasons. In 2020, the first tag paid him just over $15 million. The second tag, this past season, paid him $18.036 million.
The two sides had until last July 15 to work out a long-term deal. Talks obviously broke down after Washington’s offer.
Placing a third straight tag is highly unlikely for Washington. It’s never been done in league history. Scherff would receive a 144% increase from his 2021 tag which would pay him a whopping estimate of close $25.97 million.
The current highest-paid offensive guard in the league is Joe Thuney of the Kansas City Chiefs. Thuney signed a five-year, $80 million deal last offseason that pays him an annual average salary of $16 million per year.
Washington (or any other team) won’t pay $26 million for a guard. Meanwhile, it’s wise of Scherff to use his 2021 franchise tag ($18.036 million) as a base for any long-term deal. Quarterback Kirk Cousins used the same strategy after Washington also placed two consecutive franchise tags on him in 2016 and 2017.
Scherff’s next contract will reset the market for guards. By him turning down Washington’s last offer, it appears he is looking to set the market in a major way. By the sound of Mayhew’s comments, Washington is not willing to pay whatever is Scherff’s asking price.
