Report: Marty Hurney, WFT 'Finalizing' GM Contract to Reunite with Ron Rivera

The Washington Football Team is reportedly "finalizing" a contract for Marty Hurney to become its general manager, replacing Bruce Allen after the longtime WFT executive was fired in December 2019.

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported the deal should be formally announced Tuesday.

Hurney will have a number of problem areas to work out immediately, beginning with the team's quarterback room. Washington cut first-round pick Dwayne Haskins one week before the end of the 2020 season, leaving head coach Ron Rivera without a long-term plan at the position.

Kyle Allen ended the year on injured reserve, Alex Smith's career is heading toward its conclusion, and Taylor Heinicke was forced to start in Week 17 with the NFC East title on the line followed by the team's playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

That's not to say there isn't anything to build on.

Wideouts Terry McLaurin and Steven Sims could become stars, while running back Antonio Gibson showed plenty of potential. Washington's defense also ranked second overall thanks in part to Jon Bostic, Kamren Curl and 2020 No. 2 pick Chase Young.

But there's also no denying whatever successes the WFT found in 2020 were due in part to playing in an NFC East that didn't produce a single team over .500. Washington hasn't even had back-to-back seasons with more than eight wins since 1992. As Hurney begins his tenure, producing the franchise's first winning season since 2016 won't be the hard part.

Sustaining that success will be.

Hurney was recently let go as the Carolina Panthers general manager, leading to speculation he could reunite with his former head coach in Rivera. Now Washington has made it happen.

The Maryland native began his NFL career as a member of Washington's public relations department in 1988 before the then-San Diego Chargers hired him as their assistant GM in 1990. Less than a decade later, in 1998, he became the Panthers' director of football administration and served twice as GM.

During his run with the Panthers, he helped draft the likes of Julius Peppers, Thomas Davis, DeAngelo Williams, Ryan Kalil, Jonathan Stewart, Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly. When he returned to the GM role in 2017, he nabbed Christian McCaffrey, Curtis Samuel, D.J. Moore and Yetur Gross-Matos. 

The WFT is hoping his scouting remains as sharp as ever as it looks to build a new foundation.